Forest Fire Kills 19/20 Members of Fire Crew

[SGOS]

http://news.yahoo.com/arizona-wildfire- ... 46959.html

Called Hot Shot Crews in the article, but in the Forest Service, we commonly referred to them as interregional crews.  They specialize in fire control, as opposed to summer employees who fight fire only during emergencies on the districts where they work.  Interregional crews travel about the country fighting forest fires, and are held in high regard by most FS employees.  I've fought fire along side them.  They know what they are doing, and they work very fast.

Deaths are not common, and a disaster like this one is extremely rare.  Injuries are common of course, but burning to death is not.  It happens every once in a while, but seldom on this large of a scale.

[Plu]

Some days we are reminded that nature is still more powerful than us. Poor guys.

[stromboli]

I was very shocked when I heard this. I've fought fires with these guys myself. I still wonder how so many got caught in a fire like that. I know how fast a range fire can change direction. I'm really saddened by this. My heart goes out to the families.

[Solitary]

With the heat and dryness here in Arizona fires move really fast, and any change in the wind direction and you're toast. This is a really horrible way to die, a truly living hell.    Solitary

[StupidWiz]

My condolences to the families...  :(

[Shiranu]

The worst part is alot of people are saying, "Well... they aren't there to protect people's lives, they are there to protect people's PROPERTY! It sucks they died, but they shouldn't have to do that job anyways.".

I wonder if they...
A. Would be saying the same thing if it was THEIR houses and businesses they were protecting.
B. Realize that people's houses and jobs ARE their livelyhood.

It's a shame though. Only 5 of them they think made it into the last-resort safety...things (mind is going blank atm, but the sleeping bag like things that are insulated)... temperatures would have ranged from up to 200 on the inside to 500+ outside. The average age of them was also 22.

Edit: And of course, Republicans are saying, "It's TOO SOON to talk about if this could be related to climate change!"

No, it's too fucking late, you heartless fucks.

[OtterPop]

My heart broke when I saw this, this morning. Yesterday was the first monsoon storm of the season, so everything was pretty much as hot and dry as it could have possibly been when lightning went nuts. Today's has been scary, so far, too.

edit: There's already a powerline down, pinning a car a few miles away. It was absolutely fucking deafening.

[Plu]

The worst part is alot of people are saying, "Well... they aren't there to protect people's lives, they are there to protect people's PROPERTY! It sucks they died, but they shouldn't have to do that job anyways.".

Tell that to the people these guys were apparently evacuating. Or to any of the people who died in the fire.

It's a clear sign of "total moronosis" to make a statement like that.

[SGOS]

The worst part is alot of people are saying, "Well... they aren't there to protect people's lives, they are there to protect people's PROPERTY! It sucks they died, but they shouldn't have to do that job anyways."

WTF?  Of course they are there to protect people's property.  Whether it's the Forest Service or the local fire department, that's what they do.  They protect property, be it houses or public assets like trees.  Where lives are threatened it becomes priority #1 to protect them.

It almost sounds like people think their neighbors deserve to have their homes go up in flames.  Maybe it's punishment in the here and now for the sin of living on the urban interface, when they could have chosen to live in a walled ghetto.

[AllPurposeAtheist]

Leave it to some pastor to suggest they died as a result of 'gay activity' in the area.
How about properly funding and training everyone involved. Fuck! That would cost TAXES to properly fund everything they need.. Evidently protection of life and property isn't a high priority these days. Blame Teh Gays. :shock:

[gussy]

An interview with the last surviving firefighter of the 1949 Mann Gulch fire. A perspective on how quickly these fires can wipe out an entire company.

//http://www.thestory.org/stories/2013-07/remembering-mann-gulch-fire-1949

[SGOS]

An interview with the last surviving firefighter of the 1949 Mann Gulch fire. A perspective on how quickly these fires can wipe out an entire company.

//http://www.thestory.org/stories/2013-07/remembering-mann-gulch-fire-1949

That was a very interesting account.  Thanks.

[Aroura33]

Really, really sad.