This morning I woke up and started my morning reading. While I’m no longer in Prescott I always check to see what’s up back there. It was home for 6 years, and I still miss it. And this morning when I started to read what happened yesterday I was horrified.
19 Granite Mountain Hot Shots were lost in a fire in Yarnell. I couldn’t believe what I was reading, immediately wondered about my friend Nick Russell, and went searching through Facebook to see if he was okay. And yes, he was.
Living in Prescott during the summer season you’d see those fire crew vehicles rolling through town. Some of the trucks looked like armored vehicles. And the guys in them all did a job that most of us can’t fathom. They’d walk right into a burning forest to stop the blazes. They’d work on prescribed burns to clear out fuel before the fire season hit. Indeed they did work that I certainly couldn’t do.
I am so sorry to read about this horrible loss.
In 2011 I asked Nick if he’d mind coming in with his full gear before the fire season for a photo shoot. He was kind enough to oblige the request. I’m glad you’re safe Nick, and sorry for the loss of your brothers in the field.