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Fireman honors fallen brothers with 340+ mile hike in full gear

Jose Zambrano braved triple-digit heat Monday afternoon in the Coachella Valley. The El Segundo firefighter completed one-third of a trek in full firefighting gear to honor fallen firefighters.

Zambrano is hiking more than 340 miles to honor the 19 firefighters who died battling the Yarnell Hill Fire in Yarnell, Arizona, on June 30, 2013.

“I started this journey two days ago at the LA County Fire Museum,” said Zambrano. “It’s in memory of the 19 Granite Mountain Hotshots who died five years ago.”

Zambrano, who likes to go by “Fireman Joe,” is expected to arrive in Twentynine Palms this evening. You can track his progress here.

FiremanJoe is not alone. He has invited the public and other agencies to join him along the way and is being accompanied by the parents of Kevin Woyjack- one of the Granite Mountain 19.

“I obviously miss him every day,” Kevin’s father, Joe Woyjeck, told KESQ News Channel 3 and CBS Local 2’s Katie Widner. “Our family would like to thank the fire family during these trying times. Our heart goes out to the Long Beach family who lost their firefighter today.”

Woyjeck is following firefman Joe in his late son’s jeep.

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Noticias en español: Telemundo 15

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