PRESCOTT — The city of Prescott is honoring 19 firefighters on the second anniversary of their deaths with a moment of silence and bell tolls.
All but one member of the Prescott-based Granite Mountain Hotshots died when the men were overrun by flames in a brush-choked canyon near Yarnell. It was the largest loss of life for wildland firefighters in decades.
The June 30 ceremony includes a moment of silence at 4:42 p.m., the official time of the deaths. The bell in the Yavapai County Courthouse square then will ring 19 times.
Flags around Prescott and Yavapai County will fly at half-staff.
Prescott Fire Chief Dennis Light said residents can honor the legacy of the Hotshots by clearing trees and brush from around their homes to reduce the risk of wildfires.