We all grieve over the loss of 19 young firefighters who died trying to protect our little town from the Yarnell Hill Fire.
Photo by Samantha Wing
Everyone I know there seems to be safe as the evacuation came in time. My dearest friend was given 5 minutes to clear out of her home. She loaded her car with some valuables and her cat.
Photo by inciweb
At least half the town’s homes and businesses are destroyed by this erratic and devastating over 8000 acre fire still at 0% containment.
People and animals have been offered sanctuary in both Prescott and Wickenburg.
I am safe at the North Rim but in a daze.
I can’t stop thinking of the loss of life and devastation of our sweet little town. My prayers go out to all the families involved.
Please pray for rain and no wind to help the remaining firefighters put this out.
Devastating news, Gaelyn. Prayers, hope….L.
Thank you Lynda.
Hi Gaelyn: I’m a professor at the U of Maine and am giving a talk on forest fires. Could I use some of your (great) photos from the Kaibab? Part of my talk will address forest health in the area.
I was wondering if Berta was okay. I don’t like fire season, no matter where it is. I passed a small brush fire started by lightning on my way home Saturday. Its heartbreaking about the loss of the firefighters.
I believe all the residents of Yarnell got out safely. Fire has always scared the begezus out of me. Feeling helpless.
Such a sad time. I didn’t realize that you lived in Yarnell. Firefighters are all important to those of us who live in the West. They risk their lives on a daily basis. To loose 19 from the same community is simply devastating. Thinking of you and families who’ve lost their loved ones.
Thank you Donna. I live in Yarnell during the winter and am safe on the North Rim. My heart is on the ground and I cry for the loss of these young men and their families.
I stopped at that exact place when I was coming over that area after Yarnell. Beautiful viewpoint. I’m so sad about this.
At this point I am simply beyond sadness.
It’s so sad, especially the loss of lives. My prayers go to all.
Thank you Loran. I join you in the prayers.
What a terrible tragedy! So many lives lost . . . Houses can be rebuilt and things acquired, but life, that is precious.
I pray for all concerned and hope the fire can be quickly contained.
Thank you Arija. I know you are very familiar with loss from fire. How right you are that “things” can be replaced. My heart breaks for the families of these brave young firefighters.
What a terrible tragedy. The hotshot firefighters do an incredible job under awful conditions and it’s heartbreaking that so many lost their lives. My prayers go out to their families and all the firefighters still in harm’s way, and all of the folks in Yarnell.
Wildfires are a part of life here in Alaska with so much wilderness, and we are under red flag warnings right now. We’ve had several fires in populated areas that they’ve managed to contain fairly quickly. The weather here is still hot and dry, although not as extreme as in the Southwest. We can only pray for a change of weather soon and that there will be no more loss of life or homes.
Thank you for adding your prayers.
When I heard about this horrible fire and loss of life, I thought of you. I knew you were most likely at the north rim, but your many friends from the area must be deeply affected. My sympathy goes out to you and all who suffered loss from this devastation. I hope conditions improve soon so the fire can be controlled.
Thank you Janie. It’s not easy to sit here safe on the North Rim feeling helpless to assist.
So tragic and painful for all. My heart goes out to you, all the residents of Yarnell, and especially to the loved ones of the Hotshot Crew.
Thank you Carole.
I’m so glad you’re safe. My thoughts go out to the family and friends of these firefighters. Just heard it on the news last night and couldn’t believe what I heard and saw. Rain couldn’t come soon enough.
I believe all the Yarnell residents are somewhere safe and praying for those families as well. Let it RAIN!
Gaelyn my thoughts are with you all over there, such a terrible thing to happen, so glad that you are safe. Hopefully the rain will arrive soon and yes with no wind. My thoughts are with all the families and especially those of the Hot Shot crew. Stay safe, Diane
Thank you Diane. Fire is SO scary and effects so many.
Am glad that you posted…was concerned about Berta. Was her home saved? Yarnell won’t be the same…what a tragedy for a small town. Am praying for the families of the deceased. The firefighting family is close and each loss affects all in the organization.
I don’t know for sure about Berta’s home but it doesn’t look good in that area. So glad the residents got out safely. Thank you for adding prayers to those families of lost and brave souls.
What a terrible and sad thing for Yarnell and the families of those brave brave firefighters. We have had so much rain in the east we are drowning and I keep praying that it will move to the west where it is so desparately needed. My heart goes out to you and the grief and helplessness you feel.
Thank you Sherry. Sure wish we could have some of that rain.
A very real fear for all who live in the west. We need rain badly – no lightning, please. I’m so sorry about your town, Gaelyn. What devastation!
I’ve carried the fear of fire from NW to SW.
Simply heartbreaking news about those brave firefighters, as well as your dear sweet funky little town of Yarnell. I hope if there is anything to be gained by this tragedy, that it can bring the community and families closer– and that new techniques can be developed to keep hotshot crews safer in the future..
It seems that the businesses didn’t burn and some houses have survived. I too pray for the safety of all firefighters.
I am so terribly sorry. I checked your FB page as soon as I read the news on my IPAd this morning. I am glad your friend is safe. Take care…my thoughts are with the people of Yarnell.
Thank you Sallie.
Such a tragedy! I’m grateful to the people who risk their lives to help others and so sad that these lives were lost.
So very very sad for the loss of life and so much of the town. Heartfelt prayers to all.
Thanks for adding your prayers for the firefighters loss. Houses and stuff is replaceable.
Yes…Arizona is in deep mourning today…hard to accept the loss of 19 lives…
I’m still in shock.
So very, very sad. My thoughts are with everyone down there.
Nina
Thanks Nina.
What a terrible tragedy for all involved. No homes are worth the loss of those lives as homes can be replaced. So sad.
I agree that houses are replaceable. The weather worked against these firefighters. I grieve.
When I heard where the fire was located I thought of you and grateful knowing you were up at the North Rim. The loss of life and way of life is to sad to even begin to fathom. As a lifetime resident of the west we learn to live with the fear of fire but facing the devastating lose seems unimaginable. Sending prayers of safekeeping for all those continuing to fight this fire and peace and continued safety for those lives are continued to be affected. You continue to be in my thoughts….
Yet living in the fire prone SW we still never expect this to happen to us, or those close to us. Grasping what has happened will take a while as many are in shock. Thank you for these kind words.
Gaelyn, we are so glad you are safe, but so sad to hear about the firefighters and the losses in Yarnell. What a horrible loss of life…words just don’t come to me now. We lost 8 firefighters near us, in Banning, a couple of years ago in an awful fire. I drive up the Esparanza Firefighters Highway every weekend now…remembering those young men.
~~Cheryl Ann~~
Although there’s a very good chance I lost my storage shed stuff many people lost their entire homes. Yet that still isn’t as devastating as the loss of these fine young firefighters.
Gaelyn, thank you for posting this. As a relatively new follower of your photos on google, I had no idea you were from Yarnell. Blessings to you, glad you are safe, that your friend is safe, and so incredibly sad for the amazing Hot Shots who risk so much to keep us safe.
I still really can’t wrap my mind around this.
Dreadful and so tragic … all the more so because of the large number lives lost at one time.
Yes loosing almost an entire hotshot crew is more than sad.
So sorry to hear of the devastation in your hometown. I hope you friend is ok.
I think the residents made it out and my friend is OK, but most likely her house is gone.
Gaelyn,
Heard about this site from Nancy your close by neighbor. Everyone of your Yarnell neighbors made it out of the fire; we saw many. Still don’t know whose houses are left standing, but fire was roaring like Niagara falls and embers and ash falling on our home when we left. I fear it is gone along with many others. Our 11 years in a bit of paradise ends in 15 minutes of hell.
Many thanks to the people who tried with their lives to save us. Hope we can get back in soon. May have to start all over in a very different Glen Ilah world, and hope to see you again in the fall.
I was truly shocked when I read about this. You see things like this in movies but over here don’t realise that it really happens over there. I’m glad the people in town got out in time but if Bertha’s house is gone I hope she took what was of true value to her.
I’m still in shock. We still don’t know for sure if Berta’s house is “severely damaged or gone.” She did get some things out of the house but only had a 5 min evacuation notice. She and cat are safe.
Thinking of you and your friends, your town. My heart simply hurts at the loss of souls there. Devastating.
Thank you Debi. All are saddened by the loss of life.
I am so sorry about what happened at Yarnell. Such a huge tragedy. My Dad, the old Forest Service guy was stunned by the loss of the hotshots.
Thanks Yogi. We are all in shock.
Gaelyn, I was just thinking of you and the fires in your area and your comment arrived in answer to the question I was asking. The start of the monsoon season is the best news I have heard for a good while.
Now you can have a Happy INdependence Day!!!
The Yarnell fire is only 45% contained. Many homes have been lost including Berta’s. If we just get rain and no winds that should be helpful.
The containment improved considerably yesterday and it looks as though not as many structures as they had initially thought destroyed were but, still, 129 structures is a lot. Tragic as it all is for Yarnell, that will always be overshadowed now by the 19 deaths of the firefighters. I think AZ will come together to help Yarnell rebuild what was lost.
As long as the winds don’t shift again the fire will be easier to put out, and hopefully not spread to Skull Valley. People in Yarnell typically have more than one structure on their property so not all the building losses were homes.
What a loss to the town and to the area. Glad your friend is safe.
So far it seems all residents got out.
My heart aches for your little town. Sending hope and prayers to all.
Thank you very much Melissa. I’m still processing it all.
Sad times, Gaelyn. Like i said before it is a tragedy and we will always wonder the WHY of it. The Hotshots died defending Yarnell and the residents got out alive. Our hearts remember. MB
I am certainly glad no one else died in this tragic event. Yarnell will be known forever as where the 19 perished.
How very sad this is. My heart goes out to the people who have lost loved ones.