Nineteen firefighters killed battling Arizona wildfire

PHOENIX: -- Eighteen firefighters battling a blaze in Arizona who were unaccounted for Sunday night have been confirmed dead, said Wade Ward with the Prescott Fire Department.

The crew were fighting the Yarnell Hill Fire, near the small town of Yarnell about 80 miles northwest of Phoenix, fire incident spokesman Mike Reichling told Reuters.

The fire has charred about 1,000 acres of chapparral and grass since Friday, leading to scores of evacuations near Yarnell.

Source: http://english.ruvr.ru/news/2013_07_01/Nineteen-firefighters-killed-battling-Arizona-wildfire-2198/

-- THE VOICE OF RUSSIA 2013-07-01

RT @mpoppel: BREAKING NEWS -- 18 firefighters killed while battling Yarnell Hill Fire in Arizona, Prescott Daily Courier reports.

RT @mpoppel: 18 firefighters killed in Arizona wildfire represents the largest single loss of emergency responders since 9/11

RT @mpoppel: 18 firefighters killed in Arizona wildfire means the Prescott Fire Department lost nearly its entire crew

19 firefighters reported killed in Arizona wildfire

Los Angeles - A fast-moving wildfire claimed the lives of 19 US firefighters in Arizona Sunday, as the western United States suffered under a record heat wave, state officials and media said.

The firefighters were battling the Yarnell Hill blaze 135 kilometres north-west of Phoenix. The fire is estimated to have destroyed half the town of Yarnell, the Arizona Republic said.

"It is a dark day," said Mike Reichling, Arizona State Forestry Division spokesman.

He identified the victims as members of the Granite Mountain Hotshots, an elite team typically sent in first to help cut offfires. The team had deployed emergency heat shelters but did not survive the intensity of the flames when the fire quickly turned, according to the report.

The fire occurred on a weekend of record temperatures across the western US, with Death Valley in eastern California recording a temperature of 54 degrees, according to the Los Angeles Times.

-- The Nation 2013-07-01

RIP. Those guys were that much over used term "heroes"

WOW. Extraordinary people. RIP. The world is a better place because of people like them.

Similar things have happened in Australia and both countries have lent crews to each other in extreme cases. RIP brave Firies.

Incredibly tragic. All Hot Shots and absolutely the best at what they do. To lose these firefighters in

an entire crew is unimaginable and absolutely devastating. Most sincere condolences to the families

and loved ones.

An absolute tragedy. We Aussies know all about Bush Fires and the dangers faced by these heroes. My condolences to the families and the people of the U.S.

Very sad. Crazy for that many firefighters to be killed in single incident.

It was so hot in Arizona yesterday that small commuter jets were grounded. They do not have the necessary lift when temperature goes above 117. I think it is supposed to be cooling off a bit in the next few days. Been like 118 and 120 in the area the past couple of days.

Incredibly tragic. All Hot Shots and absolutely the best at what they do. To lose these firefighters in

an entire crew is unimaginable and absolutely devastating...

Yes, Hot Shots, some of the best of the best and all from same station in Prescott...tragic, unprecedented.

I respect those men and women.

Awful. What a loss.