DISASTER 19 firefighters dead battling Arizona blaze

mzkitty

mzkitty

I give up.
OMG. No excuse for this..... :(


Report: 19 firefighters die while battling Arizona's Yarnell Hill fire, department says - @myfoxphoenix

6 mins ago from www.myfoxphoenix.com by editor

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19 firefighters working Yarnell Hill fire confirmed dead

Updated: Jun 30, 2013 10:37 PM EST

YARNELL, Ariz. -

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.

Wendy Carter was one of those evacuated.

"My daughter came home this morning at 8 o'clock and said, 'Start packing,' and between my four grandkids and pets, we're stressing," said Carter.

The fire has burned about 1,300 acres in the community, 85 miles northwest of Phoenix.

The blaze, likely caused by lightning, is moving at about a half mile per hour up a hill, getting dangerously close to homes.

Officials ordered immediate evacuations for the communities of Model Creek, Double A Bar Ranch and the Buckhorn subdivision.

"You could see it coming closer and closer and every time the wind would shift, it would start up another Part of it burning," said Carter. "I was scared, I was scared for animals and grandkids. I just knew we had to get out of there."

The Sheriff's office has sent out a reverse 911 call and officers went door-to-door to alert residents of the evacuation order.

Many residents only had a short time to pack up and get out.

"My biggest worry? Me and my grandkids are not going to have a place to go home to," said Carter.

State Route 89 is closed from mile post 269 to 285.

The Red Cross opened a shelter for evacuated residents at Yavapai College. They say 14 people will take refuge Sunday night.

Check on loved ones here: www.safeandwell.org

Large animal shelter: Hidden Springs Ranch, at 18701 Highway 89, Peeples Valley, AZ 86332.

Small animal shelter: Yavapai College at 1100 E. Sheldon in Prescott.

http://www.myfoxphoenix.com/story/2...nell-hill-wildfire-grows-to-almost-1000-acres
 
mzkitty

mzkitty

I give up.
Burrito said:
says 18 confirmed dead at link. Doesn't say what led to the deaths though.
Click to expand...

This one says 19 too. Probably understandable confusion at this point:


June 30, 2013, 10:52 PM
Report: 19 firefighters died fighting Ariz. wildfire

YARNELL, Ariz. A fire information officer says 19 firefighters are unaccounted for while battling the Yarnell Hill Fire in a central Arizona community.

Mike Reichling told the Arizona Republic that 20 firefighters were involved in a "serious incident."

The newspaper reports that one of the firefighters has been located.

The Yavapai County Sheriff's Office has notified residents in the Peeples Valley area and in the town of Yarnell to evacuate.

Roxie Glover, spokeswoman at Wickenburg Community Hospital, told The Associated Press that the hospital has been told to expect residents with injuries and firefighters.

Earlier Sunday, the fast-moving fire prompted evacuations of 50 homes in the Buckhorn, Model Creek and Double A Bar Ranch areas about 85 miles northwest of Phoenix.

In the afternoon, the Yavapai County Sheriff's Office expanded the evacuations to include residents in the Peeples Valley area and in the town of Yarnell.

The wildfire also forced the closure of parts of state Route 89, the Arizona Department of Transportation announced. The department did not have an estimate of how long the closure would last but advised drivers to use U.S. 93 or Interstate 17 as alternate routes.

The Red Cross has opened a shelter at Yavapai College in Prescott, the sheriff's office said.

The Yarnell Hill Fire now covers nearly 2,000 acres, according to the newspaper.

The fire started Friday but picked up momentum Sunday as the area experienced high temperatures, low humidity and windy conditions.

About two hundred firefighters are now working at the fire, but an additional 130 firefighters and more water- and retardant-dropping helicopters and aircraft are on their way.

In another Arizona fire, a 2-acre blaze that started at a motorcycle salvage yard and spread to a trailer park has destroyed five mobile homes in the Gila County community of Rye, located more than 130 miles east of Yarnell.

Gila County Health and Emergency Services Director Michael O'Driscoll said no one was injured in Rye.

The fire was ignited Saturday night at All Bikes Sales located off Highway 87. It spread to neighboring federal Forest Service land but was fully contained within 12 hours of its start.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Seven adults and two children were staying at a shelter set up for people who were evacuated, the Red Cross said.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-57591707/report-19-firefighters-died-fighting-ariz-wildfire/
 
Lilbitsnana

Lilbitsnana

On TB every waking moment
It is tragic, and I don't recall seeing that many lose their life in one day/incident before, at least not in recent memory. I don't understand mzk's "no excuse" though, since I have't seen how they died.
 
marsh

marsh

On TB every waking moment
The fuel loads in our national forests are criminal. May these brave firefighters rest in peace.
 
Laurane

Laurane

Canadian Loonie
So sorry to hear this - tinder dry and heat and lightening........often a deadly mix and those brave firefighters go and do battle and sometimes they lose.......RIP
 
N

night driver

ESFP adrift in INTJ sea
Marsh has it right...WAY too much load.


Prayers for the HotShots, their families and friends/co-workers.

In my never to be humble opinion:
Absolute, no exceptions, needs to be part of EVERY wildland firefighting certification course is reading BOTH books by a Father and son duo.

First book is:
Young men and Fire...
Quote:
Norman Maclean and Laird Robinson, in an attempt to forensically analyze the Mann Gulch Fire, brought together multiple sources, including the official report of the United States Forest Service of the fire, the testimony of the four men who fought the fire and lived, and the research and report of Robert Jansson and Harry T. Gisborne (who would suffer a fatal heart attack at Mann Gulch two months later trying to get to the bottom of the tragedy)
Click to expand...

Second book: Fire on the Mountain.
Quote:
Norman Maclean's son, John Norman Maclean, wrote Fire on the Mountain (1999 book) that told a very similar story about the South Canyon Fire on Storm King Mountain on July 6, 1994 in Colorado, which took the lives of 14 firefighters. The moral being "those that fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it".
Click to expand...

The two hot shot teams died the same way for many of the same reasons.

If you don't learn the lessons...


Prayers out for the families and friends of the guys and gals.
 
Red Baron

Red Baron

Paleo-Conservative
_______________
How long until somebody in the administration or congress blames this on the "sequester"?
 
Burrito

Burrito

Veteran Member
YARNELL, Ariz. (AP) — Gusty hot winds blew an Arizona wildfire out of control on Sunday, overtaking and killing 19 elite firefighters in the deadliest wildfire involving firefighters in the U.S. for at least 30 years.

The specially trained "hotshot" firefighters were forced to deploy their fire shelters — tent-like structures meant to shield firefighters from flames and heat — when they were caught near the central Arizona town of Yarnell, state forestry spokesman Art Morrison told The Associated Press.

Rest of story:
http://news.yahoo.com/official-19-firefighters-die-battling-ariz-fire-033422890.html
 
mzkitty

mzkitty

I give up.
Horrible, just horrible.....


'We just lost 19 of some of the finest people you'll ever meet,' says Prescott, Arizona, fire chief - live video

9 mins ago by editor

More: Prescott, Arizona, fire chief confirms 'entire crew lost' - live video

11 mins ago by editor

1 firefighter did survive; no information on firefighter's condition - @myfoxphoenix live report

42 mins ago from www.myfoxphoenix.com by editor

Yarnell Hill Fire is Arizona's biggest wildfire firefighter tragedy - @azcentral

1 hour ago by editor

More: Arizona State forestry officials confirm that 19 firefighters have died - @azcentral

1 hour ago from www.azcentral.com by editor

@myhlee tweeted:

18 of 19 #yarnellfire firefighters who died were from Prescott hot shot crew- first on scene, in the best shape, cutting off fire.

1 hour ago from twitter.com by editor
 
mzkitty

mzkitty

I give up.

Wildfire that killed 19 firefighters destroyed estimated 200 homes in central Arizona community - @AP

3 hours ago by editor
 
CTFIREBATTCHIEF

CTFIREBATTCHIEF

Veteran Member
*sigh*

Lord, please take these 19 brave souls into Your kingdom, for they laid down their lives here on Earth to protect their fellow men. Wrap Your loving arms around their families and friends in their time of sorrow and grief as they will need Your love and guidance in the coming days.

Rest in peace my brothers.
 
D

Dozdoats

On TB every waking moment
And no air support either?

But the bureaucratic policies that let the fuel load build and build for years are the real problem.
 
S

summerthyme

Administrator
_______________
marsh said:
The fuel loads in our national forests are criminal. May these brave firefighters rest in peace.
Click to expand...

THIS! Every member of this administration, EPA, DEC whoever issued those orders and let them stand so we can't keep these horrific tragedies from happening need to be prosecuted for premeditated murder.

Summerthyme
 
E

erichtmobile

Senior Member
what a waste.

I feel for thier fellow hotshots.

Backbreaking labor in lethal conditions. Under appreciated, and GROSSLY under paid. RIP
 
rafter

rafter

Since 1999
marsh said:
The fuel loads in our national forests are criminal. May these brave firefighters rest in peace.
Click to expand...

We have stayed the past 2 winters just below the hill that Yarnell is located on. It is NOT what you think of when you think "FOREST". It is some pinion with scrub oak and sage brush. A very very very few ponderosa.

Mostly just rock, sage and pinion. No slash. Not an area that is even remotely thought of as national forest. More like BLM land.

The town of Yarnell is made up of a few antique shops, a couple of restaurants, and empty buildings. There is a bar and a small mom and pop's grocery store. The rest is houses. Unfortunately it is high desert and very dry with high wind plus right now very very hot.

Can't blame lack of forest management on this one, it was just one of those bad things that happen to good people.
 
IRoberge

IRoberge

Veteran Member
CTFIREBATTCHIEF said:
*sigh*

Lord, please take these 19 brave souls into Your kingdom, for they laid down their lives here on Earth to protect their fellow men. Wrap Your loving arms around their families and friends in their time of sorrow and grief as they will need Your love and guidance in the coming days.

Rest in peace my brothers.
Click to expand...

Amen
 
mzkitty

mzkitty

I give up.

More: Arizona officials warn gusty winds, high temperatures may result in 'erratic' shifts in wildfire - @Reuters

24 mins ago from www.trust.org by editor

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Deadly Arizona wildfire spreads, rages unchecked - state officials
Source: Reuters - Mon, 1 Jul

July 1 (Reuters) - A fast-moving Arizona wildfire that killed 19 elite firefighters over the weekend has engulfed more than 8,370 acres and continues to rage unchecked, state officials said on Monday.

Arizona's Incident Management Team warned that gusty winds and high temperatures on Monday could result in "erratic" shifts in the fire, which has grown quickly in size from about 1,000 acres on Sunday.

Additional crews and equipment were due at the scene near the town of Yarnell, about 80 miles (128 km) northwest of Phoenix, officials said in a statement. Forecasts are calling for a 20 percent chance of thunderstorms and possible rain showers, they added.

http://www.trust.org/item/20130701152346-2fhuy
 
Seeker

Seeker

3 Bombs for Hawkins
Red Baron said:
How long until somebody in the administration or congress blames this on the "sequester"?
Click to expand...

Or global warming? A local affiliate TV station already has. Beyond disgusting.

Rafter gives a good description of the area. And the winds can be sudden and deadly. We had a front move through where we live last night and one minute it was calm/peaceful, the next instant things were blowing about on our patio. It was sudden and fierce. Imagine that on a fire?
 
D

dash8200

Senior Member
This is touching everyone in the community. One of the beautiful souls lost actually gave my son a car. He gave it to him because he and his wife were expecting a baby, and they wanted a newer car. She is eight months pregnant. She spent the night in the hospital because she was so upset. Thankfully, she and the baby she is carrying seem to be alright for now.

I may be taking care of children of firefighters today. Please pray for everyone.

Mrs. Dash
 
mzkitty

mzkitty

I give up.
Lone survivor of elite firefighting crew escaped because he was moving the crew's truck when flames trapped and killed the crew in Arizona's Yarnell Hill fire - @AP

6 mins ago by editor
 
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