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Thread: 19 Firefighters die in Yarnell fire in Arizona

  1. #1
    Boolit Grand Master Artful's Avatar
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    19 Firefighters die in Yarnell fire in Arizona

    http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/06/3...vacuation.html



    Official: 19 firefighters die battling Ariz. fire

    YARNELL, Ariz. -- A fast-moving wildfire killed 19 firefighters Sunday afternoon after the blaze raced through an Arizona community, a state forestry official told The Associated Press.

    Forestry spokesman Art Morrison said the firefighters were caught by the fire near the central Arizona town of Yarnell about 85 miles northwest of Phoenix. He said the firefighters were forced to deploy their fire shelters, tent-like structures meant to shield firefighters from flames and heat.

    Earlier Sunday, the 2,000-acre wildfire prompted evacuations of 50 homes in several communities. Later Sunday afternoon, the Yavapai County Sheriff's Office expanded the evacuations to include more residents in the town of Yarnell.

    Morrison said several homes in the community of Glenisle have been burned. He said no other 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.

    Mike Reichling, Arizona State Forestry Division spokesman, told The Arizona Republic the fire they're calling in federal help to fight the fire.

    Roxie Glover, spokeswoman at Wickenburg Community Hospital, said that the hospital has been told to expect people with injuries.

    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 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.

  2. #2
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    Dear Lord. My prayers will be direct towards them, their families, and all impacted by the fire.

  3. #3
    Boolit Grand Master Artful's Avatar
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    http://pvtrib.com/main.asp?SectionID...rticleID=58629
    Prescott Fire Chief Dan Fraijo confirms 19 dead in Yarnell blaze

    Prescott Fire Chief Dan Fraijo confirmed Sunday night that 19 Prescott firefighters died Sunday fighting the Yarnell Hill fire that has consumed more than 1,300 acres and burned its way into the community of Yarnell.

    Fraijo, speaking at a media briefing at the Prescott Police Department, said the tragedy was one of the worst, if not the worst, in Arizona firefighting history.

    "We just lost 19 of the finest people you'll ever meet," Fraijo said, choking back emotion.

    He said he did not know the full circumstances behind the deaths, and did not want to talk about them until all the details emerge.

    Fraijo said fire personnel were working to notify family members of those who died, and said he thought every family had been contacted as of Sunday night's briefing. The names of those who died have not been released, nor has the department yet released the name of the lone survivor on the 20-member, all male crew. That crew member, Fraijo said, was at the fire but was not in the location where the others died.

    More information will be available at a 10 a.m. briefing on Monday morning," Fraijo said.

    Central Yavapai Fire Battalion Chief Brad Davis said the department has seven personnel - a division supervisor and two task force leaders, and four firefighters on a Type 6 engine - at the fire.

    "We've made cell phone contact with them and they are all OK and safe," he said.
    http://www.myfoxphoenix.com/story/22...ost-1000-acres
    YARNELL, Ariz. (AP) -- An elite crew of firefighters trained to battle the nation's fiercest wildfires was overtaken by an out-of-control blaze in Arizona, killing 19 members as they tried to protect themselves from the flames under fire-resistant shields.

    It was the most firefighters killed battling a wildfire in the U.S. in decades.

    The lightning-sparked fire, which spread to at least 2,000 acres amid triple-digit temperatures, also destroyed 200 homes and sent hundreds fleeing from Yarnell, a town of about 700 residents about 85 miles northwest of Phoenix. Residents huddled in shelters and bars, watching their homes burn on TV as flames lit up the night sky in the forest above the town.

    The disaster Sunday afternoon all but wiped out the 20-member Hotshot fire crew based in nearby Prescott, leaving the city's fire department reeling.

    "We grieve for the family. We grieve for the department. We grieve for the city," Prescott Fire Chief Dan Fraijo said at a news conference Sunday evening. "We're devastated. We just lost 19 of the finest people you'll ever meet."

    The National Fire Protection Association website lists the last wildland fire to kill more firefighters as the 1933 Griffith Park fire of Los Angeles, which killed 29. The most firefighters - 340 - were killed in the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York, according to the website.

    Most people had evacuated from the town, and no injuries or other deaths were reported.

    Hotshot crews go through specialized training and are often deployed soon after a fire breaks out. Sometimes they hike for miles into the wilderness with chain saws and backpacks filled with heavy gear to build lines of protection between people and fires. They remove brush, trees and anything that might burn in the direction of homes and cities. This crew had worked other wildfires in recent weeks in New Mexico and Arizona.

    As a last-ditch effort at survival, Hotshot crew members are trained to dig into the ground and cover themselves with the tent-like shelter made of fire-resistant material, Fraijo said. The hope in that desperate situation is that the fire will burn over them and they will survive.

    "It's an extreme measure that's taken under the absolute worst conditions," Fraijo said.

    Nineteen fire shelters were deployed, and some of the firefighters were found inside them, while others were outside the shelters, Mike Reichling, Arizona State Forestry Division spokesman, told the Arizona Republic.

    Prescott, which is more than 30 miles northeast of Yarnell, is home to one of 110 Hotshot crews in the United States, according to the U.S. Forest Service website. The unit was established in 2002, and the city also has 75 suppression team members.

    In 1994, the Storm King Fire near Glenwood Springs, Colo., killed 14 firefighters who were overtaken by a sudden explosion of flames.

    President Barack Obama called the 19 firefighters heroes and said in a statement that the federal government was assisting state and local officials.

    "This is as dark a day as I can remember," Gov. Jan Brewer said in a statement. "It may be days or longer before an investigation reveals how this tragedy occurred, but the essence we already know in our hearts: fighting fires is dangerous work."

    Brewer said she would travel to the area on Monday.

    As the blaze spread, people started fleeing, including Chuck Overmyer and his wife, Ninabill. They were helping friends leave when the blaze switched directions and moved toward his property. They loaded up what belongings they could, including three dogs and a 1930 model hot rod on a trailer.

    As he looked out his rear view mirror he could see embers on the roof of his garage.

    "We knew it was gone," he said.

    He later gathered at the Arrowhead Bar and Grill in nearby Congress along with locals and watched on TV as he saw the fire destroy his house.

    Two hundred firefighters were working on the fire Sunday, and several hundred more were expected to arrive Monday.

    The fire has forced the closure of parts of state Route 89. Fire crews had no containment late Sunday.

    The Red Cross has opened two shelters in the area - at Yavapai College in Prescott and at the Wickenburg High School gym.

    ----

    Billeaud reported from Phoenix. Associated Press writer Brian Skoloff in Yarnell, Ariz., and Associated Press reporter Martin Di Caro in Washington, D.C., also contributed to this story.

    Check on loved ones here: www.safeandwell.org

    Red Cross Shelter at Wickenburg High School: 1090 S. Vulture Mine Rd., Wickenburg, AZ 85390

    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.abc15.com/dpp/news/region...fighter-deaths
    Yarnell Fire: Arizona leaders react to firefighter deaths

    Posted: 10:31 PM
    Last Updated: 5 hours and 54 minutes ago
    By: Josh Frigerio
    Arizona leaders are reacting Sunday evening after 19 firefighters were killed battling a wildfire near Yarnell.
    LIVE COVERAGE: Hot shot crew killed battling Yarnell Hill wildfire near Prescott, Ariz.

    Governor Jan Brewer:
    This is as dark a day as I can remember, with Arizona suffering the truly unimaginable loss of 19 wildland firefighters. They were battling the Yarnell Fire, near Prescott, when the fast-moving blaze overtook their position.
    It may be days or longer before an investigation reveals how this tragedy occurred, but the essence we already know in our hearts: fighting fires is dangerous work. The risk is well-known to the brave men and women who don their gear and do battle against forest and flame.
    When a tragedy like this strikes, all we can do is offer our eternal gratitude to the fallen, and prayers for the families and friends left behind. God bless them all.

    President Barack Obama:
    Yesterday, nineteen firefighters were killed in the line of duty while fighting a wildfire outside Yarnell, Arizona. They were heroes -- highly-skilled professionals who, like so many across our country do every day, selflessly put themselves in harm's way to protect the lives and property of fellow citizens they would never meet. In recent days, hundreds of firefighters have battled extremely dangerous blazes across Arizona and the Southwest. The federal government is already assisting, and we will remain in close contact with state and local officials to provide the support they need. But today, Michelle and I join all Americans in sending our thoughts and prayers to the families of these brave firefighters and all whose lives have been upended by this terrible tragedy.

    Mesa Fire Department: ( @MesaFireDept )
    It is with a heavy heart that we keep those lost in the Yarnell Fire in our thoughts and prayers tonight

    Sen. John McCain
    This evening, the families and loved ones of the brave firefighters who lost their lives battling the Yarnell Hill Fire in Central Arizona – as well as those still fighting the fire – are in the thoughts and prayers of all Americans. This devastating loss is a reminder of the grave risks our firefighters take every day on our behalf in Arizona and in communities across this nation. Their sacrifice will never be forgotten.

    Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton:
    Nicole and I join the people of Phoenix and the entire nation to express our deepest condolences to the families of the brave firefighters who lost their lives battling the Yarnell Hill fire. This terrible tragedy is one of the worst in the history of firefighting and a solemn reminder of the extraordinary danger our first responders face every day. I have spoken to the City Manager, and Phoenix stands prepared to help in any way. We can also confirm that none of the eight Phoenix firefighters assisting in battling the blaze were hurt in this tragedy.
    Last edited by Artful; 07-01-2013 at 08:47 AM.

  4. #4
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    A few years ago, I read Norman McLean's book, Young Men and Fire, during which he gives a scientific blow-by-blow of what happened in the Mann Gulch fire in 1949 that killed 13 smoke jumpers. It's interesting and it's also a good case study in small unit leadership for those of us military types inclined to After Action Review stuff.

    Anyway, the guys were doomed and didn't realize it fully until the last few seconds, once the fire got out of the trees and into fuel that burned rapidly, there was no way they could have outrun it. It was frightening to understand just how fast something like that could turn deadly when they really thought they had the situation under control.

    It's a dangerous business and those are good guys who do that. Very sad loss to America. Thoughts and prayers to their families.

  5. #5
    Boolit Grand Master Artful's Avatar
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    http://www.azfamily.com/news/Firefig...213903801.html
    PRESCOTT, Ariz. -- Prescott officials have released the names of the 19 firefighters killed Sunday battling the Yarnell Hill Fire.

    The Granite Mountain Hotshots who lost their lives are:

    Andrew Ashcraft - Age: 29
    Robert Caldwell - Age: 23
    Travis Carter - Age: 31
    Dustin Deford - Age: 24
    Christopher MacKenzie - Age: 30
    Eric Marsh - Age: 43
    Grant McKee - Age: 21
    Sean Misner - Age: 26
    Scott Norris - Age: 28
    Wade Parker - Age: 22
    John Percin - Age: 24
    Anthony Rose - Age: 23
    Jesse Steed - Age: 36
    Joe Thurston - Age: 32
    Travis Turbyfill - Age: 27
    William Warneke - Age: 25
    Clayton Whitted - Age: 28
    Kevin Woyjeck - Age: 21
    Garret Zuppigert - Age: 27


    The remains of the firefighters were taken to the Maricopa County Medical Examiner's Office in a special procession Monday.

    The lightning-caused fire started Friday afternoon and has grown to more than 8,000 acres. It is burning approximately 30 miles southwest of Prescott, off Highway 89.

    A candlelight vigil is scheduled for Monday at 9 p.m. at the Maricopa County Medical Examiner's Office at 701 W. Jefferson St. in Phoenix. The public is invited to attend. Gather underneath the flags on the west side of the ME building.

    The date, time and location for a formal memorial service will be forthcoming.
    If you plan go going to the vigil, remember to take cold water it will still be about 102 at 9 pm.

  6. #6
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    Very sad. Just don't know what else to say.

  7. #7
    Boolit Grand Master Artful's Avatar
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    http://www.washingtonpost.com/politi...820_story.html

    By Associated Press, Updated: Friday, July 5, 8:53 AM
    WASHINGTON — The White House says Vice President Joe Biden will travel to a memorial in Arizona for the 19 firefighters killed in a wildfire.

    Biden will attend the service Tuesday in the Prescott area.

    The White House hasn’t released President Barack Obama’s schedule for next week. But it’s unusual for Obama and Biden to attend the same event outside Washington.

    Nineteen members of a highly skilled Hotshot crew were killed Sunday when a raging wildfire overran them on a mountainside northwest of Phoenix. It was the deadliest day for U.S. fire crews since 9/11.

    The fire in the town of Yarnell has destroyed more than 100 houses and burned about 13 square miles. Officials say the fire is mostly contained.
    As an aside - was in costco yesterday - they asked if I wanted to add a dollar to donate to the fund for the 19's families

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