Read both pages of the article. It’s not what it appears.
I’m not saying it’s right or wrong...just sayin’.
It’s an interesting question.
We live in a HOA with private roads, and when we had a fire pictures appeared on the TV news and in the newspaper. We have asked the TV news crews not to report in our neighborhood and they respect that. The pictures came straight from the Fire Department within hours of being taken.
The Fire Chief said that photos they take are in effect “public property” and he has to release them if asked - even if we did not give him permission to take the pictures.
It may be the same here if our Fire Chief (also in AZ) is accurate - pictures taken while on duty are “public property”. After all they closed that area to the public and they were on duty at the time.
If it ends up that these Yarnell pictures could have been withheld I’m going to have another chat with our Fire Chief about photography and release of pictures to the press/TV...:^)