Fire on the Wind: A Personal Narrative of the 2013 Yarnell Hill Fire and Early Prospecting History of Yavapai County, Arizona Territory
Diane J. Helm
Createspace Independent Publishing Platform
2017
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"DJ has joined a long line of women of the West who have recorded their intimate experiences ...." John N. Maclean: author of Fire on the Mountain, The Esperanza Fire, and other books. Fire on the Wind is a first-hand account of this century's most deadly wildland fire, the 2013 Yarnell Hill Fire in Arizona. On June 30th, the epic phenomenon blazed through two historic communities while taking the lives of 19 elite hotshots within its path. Since the fire was thought to be "going the other way," when it turned around, unprepared residents left everything behind and drove to safety, bumper to bumper through blinding smoke. DJ and her husband were nearly caught in the rolling ball of flames after securing their animals safely in the barn. Barely out-running the inferno, DJ slammed the door in its face, seconds before it began its assault on their home. Watching in disbelief, through black windows, as fire, smoke, and hailing embers enveloped their property, there was nothing they could do but wait it out. The Helm property, Not Muchuva Ranch, became involved with the Yarnell Hill Fire because of its close proximity (1/3 of a mile) to the fatality site. The Hotshots were headed for the ranch to their designated safety zone. With no other way to get across the valley to the site on the side of the mountain to retrieve the firefighters, officials began using the ranch for access. Investigators and family members continued using the access for three years. In 1863, by happenstance, when prospectors found gold nuggets the size of hen's eggs on a mountain in Yavapai County, this area's history was begun. Rich Hill was soon crawling with prospectors hoping to get their slice of wealth the mountain would inevitably come to be known for; the rush was on Crude camps sprung up like weeds after a spring rain near the base of Rich Hill as gold seekers flowed into the area. But as with most successful mining camps, when the easy pickings were gone, so were the prospectors. Only the hardiest remained to work the mines but eventually the costs of retrieving the gold was prohibitive so they were closed and abandoned. As the mining era faded into history, the area originally known as Harper's Flat became Yarnell in the 1930s, and Boulder Park became Glen Ilah in the 1950s. Through the years they have evolved into the retirement communities of today. Residents enjoy the temperate climate, high desert mountainscapes, and the fascinating geologically sculpted boulders scattered throughout the area. This book will hopefully give the reader a new and different interpretation of the Yarnell Hill Fire of 2013 and an awareness to this historic part of Yavapai County, Arizona, that is home to the author and others who enjoy its beauty.
