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 ...
It was on my local 11:00 news here in indy
I’m on a paid on call department in a suburban area. Line of duty deaths have been hovering in the 70s last number of years from all causes.
West TX and now this. Yikes. Thoughts and prayers with my brothers and their families
Very sad and tragic day. My prayers go out to their families.
Watching local news I heard it was started by a lightning strike.
The weather is so unpredictable and those winds can change direction on a dime.
Prayers for all in that area.
It was on my local 11:00 news here in indy
Horrible.
Thanks. I’m following the local reports. Hopefully, everyone else has been evacuated to safety.
So sorry to see this - prayers for those affected.
I can sure vouch for the wind changing. Often. As of now, in what direction is this thing burning?
switched direction on them too fast to make a safe zone around them, not enough oxygen in the air around them, mixed up in their surroundings,...
A post on FB:
AP: Forestry spokesman Art Morrison says the firefighters were caught by the fire Sunday afternoon near the central Arizona town of Yarnell. He says they were forced to deploy their fire shelters.
Earlier Sunday, the wildfire prompted evacuations of 50 homes in several communities about 85 miles northwest of Phoenix. Later Sunday afternoon, the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office expanded the evacuations to include more residents in the town of Yarnell.
Morrison says several homes in the community of Glenisle have been burned. He says no injuries or deaths have been reported from that area.
About 200 firefighters are fighting the wildfire, which has also forced the closure of parts of state Route 89.
Yes, my prayers to everyone in this line of work and for volunteer firefighters as well. High temperatures lead to high winds at and near the Mogollon Rim. Add a fire in the steep mountains surrounding Yarnell and you have conditions that lead to situations that can trap, out run and suck the oxygen out of the air near the fire. You have to be brave to attempt to check a fire in that country.
A friend of mine was a Yakima City Firefighter. They went out to protect a farm house that was in the path of a wildfire. The winds changed direction and whipped up. They were just getting started doing the prep work when they noticed the fire storm coming down the road at them. The wind was up to around 50 mph. He said they barely had time to crawl under their fire engine and get in their shelters before the fire went over the top of them. When they crawled back out a few minutes later... their fire engine and everything they were suppose to protect was destroyed.
My dad was fighting a wild land fire years ago and the fire cut him off from other firefighters. For hours he was missing and though my mother and I were at base camp helping with meals no one said anything to us. Thank the Lord my dad was okay, just got cut off and had a hard time getting back around to where the others were.
So Sad.
Prayers for the many family members.
proof to your point...before now...no fire in this area for 40 years
Is there another one close to Prescott?? I can’t find anything. I’m asking for a friend...
We need to return to managing our forests by thinning and selling timber.
This is a needless loss of life in trying to achieve some utopian idea.
Forests are harvested or forests burn..take your choice.
Just heard there’s one close to Kingman. All I heard.
Thanks.
Just got a dust storm warning in NW valley !!!!!
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