July 1, 2013

An entire squad of firefighters–19 men–was killed yesterday in Arizona’s Yarnell Hill Fire, northwest of Phoenix. The elite squad battled wildfires up close by erecting barriers to stop a fire’s spread. “Our entire crew was lost,” confirmed Prescott, Arizona, Fire Chief Dan Fraijo, speaking to the media. “We just lost 19 of some of the finest people you’ll ever meet. Right now, we’re in crisis.”

The team is believed to have deployed their fire shelters, described as aluminum blankets that protect against the flames and heat. However, use of the shelters must be carefully timed. If the shelters are deployed too soon, the heat inside becomes suffocating. If they are set up too late, they are useless.

Arizona officials believe the Yarnell Hill fire was started on the night of June 28 by lightening. In 48 hours, it had burned across more than 6,000 acres (2430 hectares) and destroyed at least 100 buildings. It is the deadliest wildfire since 1933, when 25 firefighters died battling a chaparral fire near Griffith Park in Los Angeles. The American Southwest is currently suffering through record high temperatures and extremely dry conditions.

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano urged area residents to follow evacuation orders, noting that Homeland Security and FEMA were working closely with the Forest Service and the Department of Interior to support state and local efforts.

The U.S. Fire Administration, a FEMA department, confirmed today that before the 19 deaths in Arizona, 43 firefighters had died so far in 2013. In 2012, a total of 83 firefighters died on duty.