19 Firefighters Die Battling Arizona Wildfire
U.S. officials say a team of 19 firefighters died Sunday while battling an Arizona wildfire.
The United States Wildland Firefighters Association confirmed the deaths on its Facebook page. A state forestry official, Art Morrison, told CNN the firefighters were an elite "hot shot" crew. He said it appeared the fire overtook them and by the time other firefighters reached them they had been killed.
U.S. President Barack Obama, who is in Africa, issued a statement early Monday calling the firefighters "heroes." He said he and Michelle join all Americans "in sending our thoughts and prayers to the families of these brave firefighters and all whose lives have been upended by this terrible tragedy."
The fast-moving fire near the small town of Yarnell, about 130 kilometers northwest of Phoenix, has burned as many as 800 hectares since Friday and destroyed several buildings. More than 200 firefighters are battling the fire.
Authorities had ordered the evacuation of Yarnell and another nearby town with reverse (911) emergency phone calls and door-to-door alerts by authorities. They say the blaze is threatening hundreds of homes.
Arizona, and the neighboring western states of California and Nevada are in the middle of an extreme heat wave. Temperatures have reached record highs, and excessive heat warnings are in effect across the region.
fuente: La Voz de América, http://www.voanews.com/content/arizona-wildfire/1692454.html
The United States Wildland Firefighters Association confirmed the deaths on its Facebook page. A state forestry official, Art Morrison, told CNN the firefighters were an elite "hot shot" crew. He said it appeared the fire overtook them and by the time other firefighters reached them they had been killed.
U.S. President Barack Obama, who is in Africa, issued a statement early Monday calling the firefighters "heroes." He said he and Michelle join all Americans "in sending our thoughts and prayers to the families of these brave firefighters and all whose lives have been upended by this terrible tragedy."
The fast-moving fire near the small town of Yarnell, about 130 kilometers northwest of Phoenix, has burned as many as 800 hectares since Friday and destroyed several buildings. More than 200 firefighters are battling the fire.
Authorities had ordered the evacuation of Yarnell and another nearby town with reverse (911) emergency phone calls and door-to-door alerts by authorities. They say the blaze is threatening hundreds of homes.
Arizona, and the neighboring western states of California and Nevada are in the middle of an extreme heat wave. Temperatures have reached record highs, and excessive heat warnings are in effect across the region.
fuente: La Voz de América, http://www.voanews.com/content/arizona-wildfire/1692454.html
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