Brendan McDonough survived one of the deadliest wildfires in U.S. history, an inferno near Yarnell, Ariz., that killed 19 of his fellow Granite Mountain Hotshots on June 30, 2013. For the next year, he went to memorials, gave speeches and raised money for wildland firefighting. But the constant reminders of the fire wore on him. He was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and had to stop making so many public appearances.
“I kept reliving it, kept reliving it, kept reliving it,” McDonough said.
Citing his PTSD, he twice canceled depositions scheduled by the Arizona Division of Forestry, which was investigating the fire and negotiating settlements with the families of the dead. Arizonans were infuriated, then, when it was announced that McDonough would write a book about his life and the ordeal, and advise on a movie, “Granite Mountain,” which is set to begin filming this summer.
In an interview with The Times, McDonough spoke about the controversy. His responses have been edited for clarity and length.