Two years ago, the Yarnell Hill Fire killed 19 firefighters, making it the deadliest blaze in state history. The Arizona State Parks Department marked the solemn anniversary by purchasing the land where they died for a future memorial park.
It will be called the Granite Mountain Hotshots Memorial State Park and now its site is secure. Arizona State Parks Director Sue Black was the sole bidder in the land’s auction. She said about 100 people came to the event.
"Seeing the faces of the families and the comments from them was just a memory I’ll have for the rest of my life," she said. "So I was glad to be a part of it and was thankful I had the opportunity to be a catalyst to get the project going."
The land was purchased for $304,000. A design and budget has not been decided on yet, Black said. She said she doesn’t know when the project will be complete, but would love to see it open in a year.
