They laid to rest the 19 Prescott, AZ firefighters who lost their lives this past week.

Smokejumpers and Hotshots. The shock troops. The first wave into any wildfire out here in the west. Selfless individuals who go into harm's way.

I know I can do a Man's work, but there is no way I could what they do. Even in my prime.

No way

A song in tribute to them. This song is about the Mann Gulch fire in 1949. It tells a modern day tale as well


Here's some further reading

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mann_Gulch_fire

And some more

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Canyon_Fire

 

Brave men, one and all.

May they rest in peace.

SB

 

+1 Seb. Terrible tragedy.

God bless 'em and their families.

 

Years ago I was a volunteer firefighter. We were putting out a field fire that was heading toward a housing development and I was working a flame front with a hose by myself. All of a sudden the wind pushed the flames to my right and the flames swept around behind me. I found myself standing on an island of dry grass with flames shooting up all around me.

One second I was in control and the next I was in deep dodo.

I fanned the nozzle and had my face tightly up against the fanned spray and ran like all hell through the flames to safe ground.

Form time to time we hear of those poor bastards who die fighting fires. Its these times when I remember back to that day. I was standing in a fire a short distance to safe ground. They can be miles from safety when things turn ugly. I had but a few seconds before getting BBQ'ed but those guys must know well in advanced that they going to get cooked. That's gotta suck watching flames racing up a hill your standing on with nowhere to run.

I don't think I could do what they do, on that scale.

 

Great story about how a fire can turn on you, TBT.

What's it like in other places?

I know SB was talking about the heat and the fire danger in his locale last summer

 

Yes Woof,

I've lived through a few, and became a volunteer fire-fighter with the Country Fire Service (CFS) at Mount Torrens in the Adelaide Hills after the 1983 Ash Wednesday fires - 28 died in SA and 47 in Victoria.

Ash Wednesday bushfires - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

More recently we had the devastating Black Saturday bushfire in Victoria in 2009 where 173 Australians perished.

Black Saturday bushfires - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

As a CFS volunteer, I fought grass and scrub fires - primarily from summer thunderstorm lightning strikes, house fires and attended motor vehicle accidents.

Severe bushfires are a part of our Australian summers and we all have our Bushfire Emergency Plan. The fact that in Mount Pleasant we live to the south of a huge expanse of plantation Radiata pine means a canopy fire in that and surrounding natural forest could wipe out the town as the exceeding hot days 40 to 45 degrees C are always accompanied by a fierce northerly wind.

So, I understand the commitment and dedication of the fire-fighters and like TBT know how quickly it can all go pear-shaped. Although we have a very deep cellar under out cottage, we are still planning to put in a fire-bunker. Fingers crossed.

Cheers, SB

 

Holy Smokes! ( no pun intended) those are astounding numbers in both human lives and livestock lost.

I'm sorry.

That news seldom reaches us

 

WOW! That's huge news. Why isn't it broadcasted here? Fires seen form space are huge.

 

A terrible loss of brave Firemen. I 'd have to say "michaelparks" may he RIP would
have had plenty to say about this as Prescott Valley was his part of the world and I
would not be too surprised if he knew some of those men that were lost , although he
was primarily a paramedic he also worked the wild fires in that area.

May they all rest in peace.

 

True heroes indeed doing a job that 99% of us couldn't do. We've trained with our local hot shot crew here in the Flathead and it's a job that I readily admit I could never do full time.
Rest in peace, heroes.

The Hot Shot’s Prayer

When I am called to duty, Lord…
To fight the roaring blaze…
Please keep me safe and strong…
I may be here for days.
Be with my fellow crewmembers…
As we hike up to the top.
Help us cut enough line…
For this blaze to stop.
Let my skills and hands…
Be firm and quick.
Let me find those safety zones.
As we hit and lick.
For if this day on the line…
I should answer death’s call…
Lord, bless my hot shot Crew…
My family, one and all.