A sad day gentlemen.
A small town in Arizona is reeling after an out-of-control wildfire killed a crew of 19 elite firefighters and forced hundreds of residents to flee their homes.
The fire, ignited by lightning, spread over 2,000 acres in blistering temperatures. Approximately 200 homes were destroyed as hundreds of residents fled Yarnell, a small town approximately 136 kilometres northwest of Phoenix.
The dead firefighters were part of a 20-member hotshot crew based in Prescott, which is located approximately 48 kilometres northeast of Yarnell.
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."
Established in 2002, the unit is one of more than 100 hotshot crews in the United States. It had recently been fighting wildfires in New Mexico and Arizona.
Hotshot crews are often deployed to wildfire zones where they build lines of protection between residents and fires.
Under extreme conditions, crew members dig into the ground and cover themselves with fire-resistant material as a survival tactic.
Mike Reichling, Arizona State Forestry Division spokesman, told the Arizona Republic that 19 fire shelters were deployed, and some firefighters were found inside them, while others were outside the shelters.
U.S. President Barack Obama called the 19 firefighters heroes and said in a statement that the federal government is 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.”
Residents who fled gathered at nearby pubs and restaurants and watched on TV has their homes were destroyed.
Chuck Overmyer and his wife were helping friends leave when the blaze started moving toward his property. As they packed up their belongings and drove away, Overmyer looked out his window and saw embers on the roof of his garage.
“We knew it was gone,” he said.
Two hundred firefighters were working on the fire Sunday, and several hundred are being deployed to help Monday. The Red Cross has opened two shelters in the area.
With files from The Associated Press
https://www.ctvnews.ca/world/a-dark...ills-19-firefighters-destroys-homes-1.1348494
A small town in Arizona is reeling after an out-of-control wildfire killed a crew of 19 elite firefighters and forced hundreds of residents to flee their homes.
The fire, ignited by lightning, spread over 2,000 acres in blistering temperatures. Approximately 200 homes were destroyed as hundreds of residents fled Yarnell, a small town approximately 136 kilometres northwest of Phoenix.
The dead firefighters were part of a 20-member hotshot crew based in Prescott, which is located approximately 48 kilometres northeast of Yarnell.
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."
Established in 2002, the unit is one of more than 100 hotshot crews in the United States. It had recently been fighting wildfires in New Mexico and Arizona.
Hotshot crews are often deployed to wildfire zones where they build lines of protection between residents and fires.
Under extreme conditions, crew members dig into the ground and cover themselves with fire-resistant material as a survival tactic.
Mike Reichling, Arizona State Forestry Division spokesman, told the Arizona Republic that 19 fire shelters were deployed, and some firefighters were found inside them, while others were outside the shelters.
U.S. President Barack Obama called the 19 firefighters heroes and said in a statement that the federal government is 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.”
Residents who fled gathered at nearby pubs and restaurants and watched on TV has their homes were destroyed.
Chuck Overmyer and his wife were helping friends leave when the blaze started moving toward his property. As they packed up their belongings and drove away, Overmyer looked out his window and saw embers on the roof of his garage.
“We knew it was gone,” he said.
Two hundred firefighters were working on the fire Sunday, and several hundred are being deployed to help Monday. The Red Cross has opened two shelters in the area.
With files from The Associated Press
https://www.ctvnews.ca/world/a-dark...ills-19-firefighters-destroys-homes-1.1348494
