Is Granite Mountain Hotshots A True Story?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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The film is based on Sean Flynn’s 2013 GQ article “No Exit.” Additionally, Outside magazine released the documentary “The Granite Mountain Hotshots and the Yarnell Hill Fire” in August 2013. The magazine also produced the 7-minute video, “19: The True Story of the Yarnell Hill Fire,” in 2014.

Did the Granite Mountain Hotshots burn or suffocate?

All but one of the Granite Mountain Hotshots crew members died on June 30, 2013, while fighting the lightning-caused Yarnell Hill Fire . The crew died as they were overrun by flames in a box canyon. The fire too intense and moving too quickly for their shelters to protect them.

Did Brendan McDonough stay a firefighter?

The lone survivor of the fire crew that battled the Yarnell Fire 7 years ago, Brendan McDonough says he’s found new hope through God. PEORIA, AZ (3TV/CBS 5) — Brendan McDonough has faced many battles, starting even before 19 of his firefighting brothers lost their lives, in a battle only McDonough survived .

Did Granite Mountain Hotshots make a mistake?

The Forest Service investigation concluded that nobody did anything wrong and that all actions taken by Yarnell wildfire supervisors and the Granite Mountain crew were reasonable and appropriate.

Were the bodies of the Granite Mountain Hotshots recovered?

At approximately 4:42 p.m., the fire overtook the Granite Mountain Hotshots position. When a helicopter was able to fly into the area over two hours’ later, Eric Tarr, a police officer–paramedic with the Arizona Department of Public Safety went in on foot and found the 19 bodies .

What is the purpose of a backburn?

Back burning involves starting small fires along a man-made or natural firebreak in front of a main fire front. Back burning reduces the amount of fuel that is available to the main fire by the time that it reaches the burnt area . Back burning is utilized in controlled burning and during wildfire events.

What does Brendan McDonough do now?

Although is took some time for McDonough to heal from the tragedy, he is doing his best to “pay it forward and honor the brothers he lost that day.” He started Hold Fast Recovery Center in Prescott, Ariz., and is now a public speaker who works with numerous nonprofits for veterans, police officers, firefighters, and ...

Why do they call him donut in only the brave?

When he is hired as a firefighter, the other members of the outfit see him as physically and mentally unfit (they give him the nickname “Donut”), but Donut masters the necessary tough physical discipline and the book studies and becomes an integral part of the unit.

How many hotshots survive granite?

Only one Granite Mountain Hotshot survived the fire.

Prescott Fire Chief Dan Fraijo later confirmed that all 19 were from the Granite Mountain Hotshots.

What happened to Brendan from only the brave?

“Three guys washed out,” says McDonough, who was in his third season with the crew when the tragedy happened. The real Brendan McDonough (left) had a burglary conviction and was involved with drugs before joining the hotshots, which turned his life around.

Did the hotshots burned to death?

The Yarnell Hill Fire claimed the lives of 19 members of the Granite Mountain Hotshots. All but one crew member died in the wildfire south of Prescott after a change in wind direction pushed the flames back toward their position.

Did the Granite Mountain Hotshots burn to death?

On June 30, 2013, 19 of the 20 members of the Granite Mountain Hotshots were killed during the Yarnell Hill Fire . Brendan McDonough, who had separated from the crew earlier in the day, survived the incident.

Why did the granite mountain shelters fail?

“The Yarnell Hill Fire was pretty tragic because an entire Hotshot crew , the Granite Mountain Hotshot Crew, perished in that fire,” Mason said. ... With temperatures exceeding 2,200 degrees Fahrenheit with extreme turbulent air conditions, Mason notes no fire shelter could have protected that crew on June 30 of 2013.

Is only the brave a true movie?

A new film called Only The Brave is based on the true story of the 19 members of the Granite Mountain Hotshots who battled, and ultimately lost their lives, in Arizona’s Yarnell Hill Fire during late June of 2013.

Are fire shelters fire proof?

A fire shelter is a safety device of last resort used by wildland firefighters when trapped by wildfires. While such a shelter cannot withstand sustained contact with flames , it can protect a firefighter’s life in a short-lived grass fire. ... When the shelter is packed into its carrying case, its dimensions are 8.5 in.

How much heat can a fire shelter withstand?

Shelters reflect almost 95 percent of radiant heat, or heat coming from the sun. With direct heat in the form of flames, the shelter can withstand 500 degrees Fahrenheit . Anything hotter and the shelter begins to melt and no longer protects the firefighter.

What is a kitchen fire?

Kitchen fires

The most common type of kitchen fire is the grease fire . ... They also occur when someone overheats a pan during attended cooking if the grease catches fire. Grease fires can cause serious injury and extensive property damage. Other types of kitchen fires include oven fires and appliance fires.

Does Prescott still have a hotshot crew?

The Prescott Hotshots still remains as an elite, professional, and outstanding crew of Wildland Firefighters .

Why do farmers burn their fields?

Farmers in many parts of the world set fire to cultivated fields to clear stubble, weeds and waste before sowing a new crop . While this practice may be fast and economical, it is highly unsustainable, as it produces large amounts of the particle pollutant black carbon and reduces the fertility of soil.

What does the term Firestick farming mean?

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Fire-stick farming, also known as cultural burning and cool burning , is the practice of Aboriginal Australians regularly using fire to burn vegetation, which has been practised for thousands of years.

How do the Hotshots fight the dragon fire?

They don’t carry water to fight fire: they use shovels and chainsaws, dig lines and cut down trees to contain the conflagration . This requires incredible strength – hotshots go through rigorous physical and psychological training – and an ability to tackle extreme temperatures in the wilderness.

What is a deucer firefighter?

Jeff Bridges, less bearded but just as craggy as usual, is the mover and shaker who’s helping the crew go from unofficial “deucers” ( firefighters who can’t engage directly with these natural-disaster infernos ) to certified frontliners.

Can you survive a forest fire in a pool?

California Journal: They survived six hours in a pool as a wildfire burned their neighborhood to the ground. ... Then they remembered their neighbors’ pool. “You’ve got to calm down, Jan,” she told herself. “You can’t go underwater and hyperventilate.”

Where is Amanda Marsh today?

Amanda is now a dermatology nurse practitioner and still lives in her home state. She married her childhood friend Jay Caldwell, and they share a daughter named Chloe.

When were the Granite Mountain Hotshots certified?

In September of 2008 , while on an assignment on the Klamath National Forest, the crew received a phone call from their home unit stating that they had just received certification as an Interagency Hotshot Crew.

What went wrong with the Granite Mountain Hotshots?

More were predicted on the fatal day, June 30, when firefighters battled the rapidly spreading blaze . ... The National Weather Service that day predicted thunderstorms, downdrafts, a reversal in wind direction, and gusts approaching 50 miles per hour. When that happened, it fatally trapped the 19 Granite Mountain Hotshots.

How wide is a Fireline?

A general guideline for determining the width of a fireline is that it should be one and one half times as wide as the dominate fuel is high . The scraped portion of a fireline is generally one to three feet wide. However, in timber a fireline is generally 20 to 30 feet wide with a three to four foot scrape.

Did anyone survive in only the brave?

19 Firefighters Died. One Survived . ... Only the Brave tells the story of the Granite Mountain Hotshots, a highly trained team of wildland firefighters that lost 19 of its 20 members when they became entrapped in the Yarnell Hill blaze in Arizona on June 30, 2013.

How many municipal hotshot crews are there?

As of 2018 there are 113 hotshot crews across the nation.

How much do hotshots make?

How much does a Hotshot Wildland Firefighter make? The national average salary for a Hotshot Wildland Firefighter is $53,626 in United States. Filter by location to see Hotshot Wildland Firefighter salaries in your area.

Can you outrun a forest fire?

Flames also tend to travel uphill, and running uphill will slow you down anyway. Can you — or should you even attempt to — outrun a forest fire? ... The short answer is that a wall of flame can move at 20 mph or faster and easily overtake a runner .

David Evans
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David Evans
David is a seasoned automotive enthusiast. He is a graduate of Mechanical Engineering and has a passion for all things related to cars and vehicles. With his extensive knowledge of cars and other vehicles, David is an authority in the industry.