19 firefighters dead in Arizona fire

[Old Rocks]

We just lost 19 of the men and women that fight the wildfires in this nation. Not much information on what happened yet, but it looks like they had time to deploy their shelters, just wasn't enough protection this time.

Arizona Wildfire 2013: 19 Firefighters Die While Battling Yarnell Hill Blaze

 

[asaratis]

That is a truly saddening story. Truly. My heart goes out to the nineteen families.

 

[bodecea]

So very sad...have friends who live near there and my niece's boyfriend is a wildfire fighter....fortunately, he's in Idaho and safe.


Sympathy and kind thoughts to the families and friends of those killed.

 

[Lipush]

Sad

 

[freedombecki]

So very sad...have friends who live near there and my niece's boyfriend is a wildfire fighter....fortunately, he's in Idaho and safe.

Sympathy and kind thoughts to the families and friends of those killed.

Same here, bodecea. I'm grateful your niece's boyfriend is okay. There were 200 other firefighters in different areas, so not everyone fighting the fire was taken. Yarnell Arizona which is 79 miles from Phoenix, just had really bad luck last night when winds made the fire fast and unstoppable.

This morning, the report is that the fire is zero contained, and more firefighters are being called in from surrounding states to get the beast under control.

News from The Associated Press

Prayers up for those who died and who grieve friends and loved ones who were lost.

 

[Mr. H.]

Just heartbreaking.

 

[Skull Pilot]

One more reason not to fight wildfires.

It's a losing battle and a needless risk of life.

 

[Old Rocks]

They were trying to save the town of Yarnell, not just fight the fire.

 

[depotoo]

Prayers to all affected by this tragedy.

 

[depotoo]

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 local restaurants, watching their homes burn on TV as flames lit up the night sky in the forest above the town.

from the article

 

[SayMyName]

Of this we can be truly sad, considering how much crap we are usually fed.

 

[Spoonman]

what a shame. such a tough job. the problem is the danger turns on a dime. everything looks fine and the next minute, it's already too late.

 

[Skull Pilot]

They were trying to save the town of Yarnell, not just fight the fire.

I'm sure all those buildings were insured. There was no need to risk anyone's life.

 

[freedombecki]

They were trying to save the town of Yarnell, not just fight the fire.

I'm sure all those buildings were insured. There was no need to risk anyone's life.

I've known some of the best firefighters anywhere. They don't pay attention to danger if it means being on oxygen for the rest of their lives, getting hotter than anyone else could stand, having a building fall on themselves, or die with the fickle change of the wind. They wouldn't have it any other way. They're brave, brave people, and quite a few of them will be fearlessly fighting a fire half an hour after their boss told them to get out, it's not safe. One guy was told to get out now, but he retorted no, that he was at point zero and was going in for the kill. He fought like crazy with his axe, getting to the root of fire, killed it, and won that battle. He saved a business three doors down from mine. In doing so, he saved the entire block. He came out unscathed except his handlebar mustache was somewhat shortened. What a guy. His two buds stuck it out with him. He's done it before, saving people's homes, lives, barns, and animals. Those guys in that town work out every day at the recreation center for an hour staying fit, then they hit the track. The younger guys won national firefighters championships for four straight years. It's no wonder with a guy like him for a role model who just doesn't quit because the fire registers a little too hot. When he was around, it was look out devil fire, he's gonna whoop yo' mean ass.

They love others more than self. Firefighters are a whole another breed of men. The worst day of their lives was 9/11 when 200 of their brother firefighters and cops died at ground zero from the WTC attack, assisting other people to safety. The only reason we lost 3,000 rather than 30,000 was because firefighters have a credo: "you leave first, fire victim. I have to see if there's anyone else."

 

[Skull Pilot]

They were trying to save the town of Yarnell, not just fight the fire.

I'm sure all those buildings were insured. There was no need to risk anyone's life.

I've known some of the best firefighters anywhere. They don't pay attention to danger if it means being on oxygen for the rest of their lives, getting hotter than anyone else could stand, having a building fall on themselves, or die with the fickle change of the wind. They wouldn't have it any other way. They're brave, brave people, and quite a few of them will be fearlessly fighting a fire half an hour after their boss told them to get out, it's not safe. One guy was told to get out now, but he retorted no, that he was at point zero and was going in for the kill. He fought like crazy with his axe, getting to the root of fire, killed it, and won that battle. He saved a business three doors down from mine. In doing so, he saved the entire block. He came out unscathed except his handlebar mustache was somewhat shortened. What a guy. His two buds stuck it out with him. He's done it before, saving people's homes, lives, barns, and animals. Those guys in that town work out every day at the recreation center for an hour staying fit, then they hit the track. The younger guys won national firefighters championships for four straight years. It's no wonder with a guy like him for a role model who just doesn't quit because the fire registers a little too hot. When he was around, it was look out devil fire, he's gonna whoop yo' mean ass.

They love others more than self. Firefighters are a whole another breed of men. The worst day of their lives was 9/11 when 200 of their brother firefighters and cops died at ground zero from the WTC attack, assisting other people to safety. The only reason we lost 3,000 rather than 30,000 was because firefighters have a credo: "you leave first, fire victim. I have to see if there's anyone else."

They weren't there to save anyone's life.

The town had already been evacuated. We should respect these brave men who cannot be replaced enough not to waste their lives saving a bunch of empty buildings that can be replaced.

In short if no people are actually in danger then we need not send others to their death.

 

[peach174]

I'm sure all those buildings were insured. There was no need to risk anyone's life.

I've known some of the best firefighters anywhere. They don't pay attention to danger if it means being on oxygen for the rest of their lives, getting hotter than anyone else could stand, having a building fall on themselves, or die with the fickle change of the wind. They wouldn't have it any other way. They're brave, brave people, and quite a few of them will be fearlessly fighting a fire half an hour after their boss told them to get out, it's not safe. One guy was told to get out now, but he retorted no, that he was at point zero and was going in for the kill. He fought like crazy with his axe, getting to the root of fire, killed it, and won that battle. He saved a business three doors down from mine. In doing so, he saved the entire block. He came out unscathed except his handlebar mustache was somewhat shortened. What a guy. His two buds stuck it out with him. He's done it before, saving people's homes, lives, barns, and animals. Those guys in that town work out every day at the recreation center for an hour staying fit, then they hit the track. The younger guys won national firefighters championships for four straight years. It's no wonder with a guy like him for a role model who just doesn't quit because the fire registers a little too hot. When he was around, it was look out devil fire, he's gonna whoop yo' mean ass.

They love others more than self. Firefighters are a whole another breed of men. The worst day of their lives was 9/11 when 200 of their brother firefighters and cops died at ground zero from the WTC attack, assisting other people to safety. The only reason we lost 3,000 rather than 30,000 was because firefighters have a credo: "you leave first, fire victim. I have to see if there's anyone else."

They weren't there to save anyone's life.

The town had already been evacuated. We should respect these brave men who cannot be replaced enough not to waste their lives saving a bunch of empty buildings that can be replaced.

In short if no people are actually in danger then we need not send others to their death.

The whole town was not evacuated, some people were still there, for whatever their reasons.
That city has a lot of old 1880's & 90's buildings and the city gets good income from tourism because of them being authentic buildings.
Those buildings can not be replaced.

 

[Jos]

19 brave firefighters lives can not be replaced.

 

[JoeBlam]

They were trying to save the town of Yarnell, not just fight the fire.

I'm sure all those buildings were insured. There was no need to risk anyone's life.

I've known some of the best firefighters anywhere. They don't pay attention to danger if it means being on oxygen for the rest of their lives, getting hotter than anyone else could stand, having a building fall on themselves, or die with the fickle change of the wind. They wouldn't have it any other way. They're brave, brave people, and quite a few of them will be fearlessly fighting a fire half an hour after their boss told them to get out, it's not safe. One guy was told to get out now, but he retorted no, that he was at point zero and was going in for the kill. He fought like crazy with his axe, getting to the root of fire, killed it, and won that battle. He saved a business three doors down from mine. In doing so, he saved the entire block. He came out unscathed except his handlebar mustache was somewhat shortened. What a guy. His two buds stuck it out with him. He's done it before, saving people's homes, lives, barns, and animals. Those guys in that town work out every day at the recreation center for an hour staying fit, then they hit the track. The younger guys won national firefighters championships for four straight years. It's no wonder with a guy like him for a role model who just doesn't quit because the fire registers a little too hot. When he was around, it was look out devil fire, he's gonna whoop yo' mean ass.

They love others more than self. Firefighters are a whole another breed of men. The worst day of their lives was 9/11 when 200 of their brother firefighters and cops died at ground zero from the WTC attack, assisting other people to safety. The only reason we lost 3,000 rather than 30,000 was because firefighters have a credo: "you leave first, fire victim. I have to see if there's anyone else."

Anybody who's been in a large fire, especially a large forest fire will tell you these guys forget about everything to kill it. Two friends and I were up in the Show Low area during the Rodeo/Chediski (ched e sky) fire in 2002. We pitched in to help move equipment up a fire road during the time the Rodeo had joined the Chediski...the two would burn almost half a million acres of ponderosa pine. We were in about 6 miles when the wind shifted, the fire crowned over our heads, then turned and started chasing us. Inside that blazing hell you see funnel clouds, you hear crazy sounds like a woman moaning, then screaming, then you think you hear the Devil himself yelling at the top of his filthy lungs....we got moving in a hurry...at one point there was no air to breathe and the motor started to sputter....as fate would have it, we drove through a pocket of good air, we all got the breath we were fighting to get, and we outran the damn thing. When we pulled up to the meet area, a team of Hot Shots gave us a big hand....the back of our truck had no paint left on it....the tailgate was GONE. and the rear tires were both going flat. Assured we were okay, they took off laughing about our flight from the monster...nothing new to them. God Bless those 19 at the Yarnell Hill.

 

[SteadyMercury]

Kinda freaky, we drove through Yarnell on 89 to get to Prescott on Friday about an hour before this fire broke out. This really sucks, there is nothing more one can say. Brave people giving their lives trying to save other people's shit.

I'm sure all those buildings were insured. There was no need to risk anyone's life.

By this logic why try to put out any fires? Fireman get injured or die every year from battling fires in houses and businesses that have been evacuated and are probably insured.

 

[peach174]

A Firefighters job is to put the fire out and try to save as many lives, buildings, towns, cities and Forrest acreage as they can.
This was a special group that tired to turn the fire away from the cites and little towns in that area.
They were hero's in my book. It takes a special person to take a job knowing that you may lose your life in that job.