Dude Fire 35th anniversary: Payson community honors 6 fallen firefighters
35th anniversary of the Dude Fire: 6 killed; 24k acres burned
June 26 marked 35 years since one Arizona's most destructive wildfires killed six firefighters. FOX 10's Lindsey Ragas reports.
PAYSON, Ariz. - June 26 marks 35 years since Arizona experienced one of the state's most destructive wildfires, killing six firefighters. It took 10 days to control the fire, and it led to sweeping reforms in safety systems and practices for wildland firefighters.
"We’re family, we’ve never seen each other, we’ve never known each other. But look, look, look at us now," said Mary Contreras, sister of Dude Fire victim Alex Contreras.
The community of Payson gathered today in front of a small memorial at the Bonita Creek Estates. It is there that they are remembering the 35th anniversary of the Dude Fire.
The memorial includes portraits of the fallen in meta, alongside their biographies and stories. The Wildland Firefighter Foundation also contributed to the memorial with the donation of a bronze statue of a firefighter.
"This is a community, this is your monument, this is for all the wildland firefighters, this is your monument. And we honor these six people that gave their lives for us and we honor our survivors," said Scott Briggs of the SAND UNDO Foundation.
The backstory:
The Dude Fire was sparked by lightning on June 25, 1990. It burned more than 24,000 acres in the Tonto National Forest and destroyed 63 homes.
The state was also experiencing record heat that day. It was 122° here in the Valley and 106° in Payson.
Members of the Perryville Fire Crew battling the flames the next day were trapped by the fast-moving fire.
Ultimately, the firefighters weren't able to escape, leaving six of them dead and five others injured.
What they're saying:
Honoring the firefighters lost in the incident, survivors of the Dude Fire look to preserve the legacies of their fallen crew members.
"We live with the scars every day, we’re reminded every day of the fire still here at Bonita Creek, it’s all around us still. So we want to remember these firefighters as well," said Bonita Creek resident Mike Lynch.
"Their legacy lives through from education and sharing their story with the next generation of firefighters, and more importantly you guys as the community members," said Chris Reed, Central Zone Fire Prevention Captain with the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management.
Map of the area