PHOENIX — Arizona forestry and fire officials will hold a remembrance ceremony to honor six firefighters who lost their lives battling the Dude Fire over 30 years ago.
Bonita Creek Estates, which is northeast of Payson, will host the memorial honoring the 35th anniversary of the Dude Fire that devastated the Perryville Fire Crew.
The event will start at 10 a.m. on June 26, according to the Department of Forestry and Fire Management.
The Dude Fire, sparked by lightning in 1990, devastated the Tonto National Forest and claimed the lives of six inmate-firefighters.
It took 10 days to control the fire. During that time, the Dude Fire burned over 24,000 acres and destroyed 63 homes, according to the National Wildfire Coordinating Group.
More details about 35th anniversary event for Dude Fire
The U.S. Forest Service and Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management will hold the ceremony, along with Tonto National Forest officials and residents of Bonita Creek Estates.
A former Perryville Fire crew member who survived the Dude Fire named Geoff Hatch will be the guest speaker at the event.
After the memorial, the Water Wheel Fire and Medical District Auxiliary will host a barbecue fundraiser at the fire district’s substation in Bonita Creek.
Money raised will benefit the local fire district and the Sano Undo Foundation, which is dedicated to mental health wellness among wildland firefighters.
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