Chino Valley mayor proclaims June 30, 2026 a day of remembrance for Granite Mountain Hotshots

Tom Armstrong, mayor of the Town of Chino Valley, read and signed a proclamation on June 30 declaring the date a day of remembrance for the 13th anniversary of the Jarnell Hill Fire. In the proclamation Armstrong said the 2013 blaze "became one of the deadliest wildland firefighting tragedies in American history, claiming the lives of 19 courageous members of the Granite Mountain Hotshots."

The proclamation noted the crew's "extraordinary courage and devotion to duty" and said the town honors their "shared commitment, selfless service, enduring brotherhood, and lasting legacy." Armstrong specifically identified Chino Valley resident Wade Scott Parker as among those lost and described Parker as a "beloved son, brother, friend, neighbor, and firefighter whose memory continues to inspire our community."

The reading placed the town alongside communities across Arizona and the nation in pausing to reflect on the courage and sacrifice of wildland firefighters and to reaffirm gratitude for first responders. Armstrong concluded the proclamation by stating, "I, Tom Armstrong, mayor of the town of Chino Valley, do hereby proclaim June 30th, 2026 as a day of remembrance for the Granite Mountain Hot Shots," and the proclamation record notes the mayor placed his hand and the town seal on the document.

The proclamation is a symbolic municipal observance; no council vote or additional action is recorded in the transcript. The town encouraged residents to honor the memory of the fallen firefighters through local remembrances and recognition events.