Posted on 06/30/2013 7:45:43 PM PDT by kristinn
Prescott Fire Department confirmed 19 firefighters have died while battling the Yarnell Hill fire on Sunday night. They're part of the Prescott Granite Mountain Hot Shots.
The wildfire was likely caused by a lightning strike Saturday night.
The Yarnell Hill fire, about 35 miles southwest of Prescott, has burned about 1,300 acres and forced the evacuation of 50 homes.
The fire started Friday and has not yet burned down any structures, but Sunday night firefighters pushed the blaze back away from communities, hoping to keep the blaze from overtaking any homes.
A growing fire in Yarnell forced about 600 residents from their homes.
(Excerpt) Read more at myfoxphoenix.com ...
OK...thanks.
Prayers for the families of these firefighters.
I think that these localized storms can get high winds going in many directions in relatively close areas.
It could shift.
News reports have mentioned something I didn’t yet see posted. This “hot shot” crew was one of the first local FD crews formed — they started in 2008.
So they are all local boys from one part of town working together the last five years. The community will be devastated
ATTENTION ALL
the winds are changing now...storm coming sw to ne thru Phoenix and the fire is makin it’s own weather and should both forces meet...all bets off
POS local tv is showin pictures even as parents are bein located...they can go to hell
That's dangerous work, and if the wind turns, it can literally over take you, suck all of the oxygen out of the air, and then burn over you within minutes...in terrain where there is very little hope of finding escape or shelter.
I have never heard of so many perishing at once like this.
I am afraid the confirmation of the tragedy by the local FD is partly to blame. Once hearing that confirmation the reporters probably could assume families had been notified. Tragic mistake.
Like Mann Gulch in ‘49.
in the canyons of south Texas a handful of years ago a medium group was weekend campin and a flashflood hit in minutes and all the campers drown....just could not out climb the risin waters
I am surprised the fire chief made it through that press conference. You can tell he is devastated. This was a volunteer hotshot crew of 20 and only 1 has survived. All were from the Prescott area.
I have read books by author Craig Childs, who is a survivalist who will go and live for months at a time in the desert. He always says, “There are two ways to die in the desert: Thirst or drowning.”
The gust front appears to be kick up a lot of dust on radar with 50 mph gusts.
Fox 10 said the average age of those who perished was 22 ...said they were sons of Prescott area firemen...
grabbing a shower...back in 10
In this case, they apparently deployed their last ditch safety shelters...where they each dig in and then each put the reflective foil around them.
But if the O2 is gone, and it is hot enough, they will not work.
McLettuce had to get his face in the news what a POS
30 mph duststorm in south Phoenix w/ gusts to 50 headed from southeast to northwest
Nice tribute. It’s going to be a sad holiday week in Prescott.
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