Arizona State Parks purchased 320 acres of State Trust land on Tuesday near the site where 19 Granite Mountain Hotshots lost their lives, and have designated it the Granite Mountain Hotshots Memorial State Park, according to the governor's office.
The purchase took place on the second anniversary of day flames of the Yarnell Hill Fire overran the hotshots' position.
"This site will serve as a lasting memorial to the brave hotshots who gave their lives to protect their community," said Governor Ducey. "While we can never truly repay our debt to these heroes, we can – and should – honor them every day. Arizona is proud to offer the public a space where we can pay tribute to them, their families and all of our firefighters and first responders for generations to come."
Arizona State Parks Executive Director Sue Black -- who concurrently serves as Chairman of the Yarnell Hill Memorial Site Board -- said, "Arizona State Parks is proud and humbled to add Granite Mountain Hotshots Memorial State Park to our family."
The land purchase was funded by $500,000 set aside for the purpose of the memorial by legislative appropriation resulting from HB 2624, the 2014 bill championed by Senator Steve Pierce and Representative Karen Fann.
The land purchase was funded by $500,000 set aside for the purpose of the memorial, as mandated by the passage of HB 2624.
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