Arizona Wildfires - Fire Fighters Down

[dstar2002]

Hearing horrible reports of 19 Fire Fighters lost in Arizona battling the Yarnell Wildfire.  As a fire fighter myself, it strikes deep pain into my heart to hear this news.  My best wishes to anyone living out that way.  Get safe, and get safe fast.

 

http://www.myfoxphoenix.com/story/22726613/2013/06/30/yarnell-hill-wildfire-grows-to-almost-1000-acres

 

[S4GRU]

As a person who has lived in the Rural West the past 20 years and has been personally effected by several rangeland fires, it is with great gratitude that I give my thanks to those firefighters who risk their all for our personal safety and property protection.  Our prayers to those affected by this latest tragedy in Arizona.  Thank you to all who serve and have served in fire protection.  Our lives depend on it, and we appreciate it.

 

Robert

[Hypeo]

Despite all our efforts to stay safe, Fire Safety Orders, 16 lookout situations; we still manage to get ourselves in bad situations. I'm not blaming the firefighters. As a firefighter, sometimes I reflect when I hear stories like this one.  Why do we send so many people to save trees that will grow by next year and burn in the next 10 years.  I do agree in saving property and I'll risk everything to save life, but I think as a profession, we need to stop risking so much life for wild land and work to contain away from the front lines.

 

Hopefully our department will send some type of help to Prescott in the coming days. Their focus is to grieve and not to fight this deadly fire anymore..   

[SeanK_]

My cousin happens to know one of the fire fighters who died. Only 22 years old. Such a shame that they are gone. Praying for their family and friends.

[CAREND]

It is sad and disheartening when life is lost protecting others.  I wish the best for their families.

On a note for fires such as this, and with my slightly relevant knowledge on certain subjects, these fires could be minimized by just better land management.  This is one of the largest problems we have here in California and the cause is weeds.  I didn't watch the video yet, but I will assume it is probably large vasts of rangeland that is unkempt or areas where weeds are out of control and dried out.