taffthetooth Loc: U.K

Saw on the news this morning about the 19 firefighters who lost their lives in Arizona :-(. So I gave thanks for their bravery, and pray for them and their loved ones.

TonyP Loc: New Zealand

Saw it on the 7 o'clock News here in NZ tonight.
Terrible.
Their families certainly have our sympathy too.

DaveMM Loc: Port Elizabeth, South Africa

What a tragedy. We all owe a debt of gratitude to people who do such a a stressful job which, even when the result is not so tragic, can badly affect them mentally.

Deep sympathy to the families.

JR1 Loc: Tavistock, Devon, UK

Something to do with the fire proof station they went to did not save them!, heard on the news here this morning, if anyone corporate or individual or department is found at fault someone needs to go to prison for life

GWR100 Loc: England

Our sympathies and thoughts go out to the families and all those affected by this terrible tragedy.

Georgie Loc: England

I say and feel the same.

Malcolm B Loc: Leicester (UK)

Any unnecessary loss of life is a waste. My thoughts are with the families and their workmates.

bull drink water Loc: pontiac mi.

THANK YOU, to those who lay their lives on the line for us.

TucsonCoyote Loc: Tucson AZ

You could die of heat stroke without fire right now in Arizona!
I don't quite know yet what happened exactly but it will come out in the next few days.
Some of you Aussies know how bad these wildfires can be especially when the heat is up and humidity low.....everything burns ....add high winds and you have fire tornadoes that will melt the rocks !
What a tragedy !

THISTLE Loc: Reidsville NC

Prayers up for my brothers.

TonyP Loc: New Zealand

Here's how it was reported here. Looks like no one at fault. just really bad luck.
They were certainly brave men to dive in to that situation.



Hot winds blew a U.S. wildfire out of control, killing 19 elite firefighters in the country's deadliest wildfire involving firefighters for at least 30 years.

The specially trained "hotshot'' firefighters were forced to deploy their fire shelters tent-like structures meant to shield them from flames and heat when they were caught near an Arizona town, state forestry spokesman Art Morrison told The Associated Press.

Prescott Fire Chief Dan Fraijo said the firefighters were part of the city's fire department.

"We're devastated,'' he said at a news conference Sunday evening. "We just lost 19 of the finest people you'll ever meet.''

Hot shot crews are elite firefighters who often hike long distances into the wilderness with chain saws and backpacks filled with heavy gear to build lines of protection between people and fires.

"By the time they got there, it was moving very quickly,'' Fraijo told the AP of Sunday's fire.

"One of the last failsafe methods that a firefighter can do under those conditions is literally to dig as much as they can down and cover themselves with a protective kinda looks like a foil type fire-resistant material with the desire, the hope at least, is that the fire will burn over the top of them and they can survive it,'' Fraijo said.

"Under certain conditions, there's usually only sometimes a 50 percent chance that they survive,'' he said. "It's an extreme measure that's taken under the absolute worst conditions.''

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

It is truly moving to observe how the web has brought people in far off places together with similar emotional responses. The area of this fire, and tragedy, is not a far drive from my home. This, along with friends who are fire fighters, makes this a very emotional day.

As I write this, I can see the flags of the nearby Arizona State University at half staff, honouring those 18 men lost in this tragedy. It provides some comfort knowing that the emotional feelings of loss are also shared by friends throughout the world.
--Bob

gerry908 Loc: An Aussie from Scotland

I heard about it today and was shocked at the number that died and my heart goes out to their families.

I don’t know if it’s the same in America, but most of the Fire Fighters in Australia, are Volunteers and it’s these people who put their lives on the line to save, not only property, but people too. They’re a special breed of people that most of us take for granted, and it’s times like this that makes us really sit back and appreciate their selflessness

Brucej67 Loc: Cary, NC

On the news they stated that in temperatures of 500 degrees F the safety tents burn up.

cwalti

That is shooting from the hip alright... Read a bit more and you may gain a better uderstanding... Nevertheless tragic. We have known the Woyjecks for years, they are fine people and the loss of such a young and driving life is truly a tragedy!