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The Yarnell Hill fire was one of the most horrific incidents in US firefighting history. This event took the lives of 19 hotshots members of a special group dedicated to combating wildfires. The fire was caused by the lightning strike and started Southwest of Prescott, Arizona, and seemed to gain speed quite rapidly (WildlandFireLLC). On the morning of the next day, the squad of hotshots was dispatched nearby to start clearing the area to divert and contain the spread of the flames (Weather Films). One of them was on the lookout away from the rest, tasked with monitoring the movements of the fire as a safety measure. Their team was not in the way of the fire at first, providing them with relative safety.
Things soon took a turn for the worst, as the wind shifted and the flames started rapidly making their way to the squads location. The decision to retreat was made, and the firefighters settled in the previously burned-out area that was considered a safe zone (Weather Films). The hotshots, presumably, decided to leave the safe zone in hopes of helping stop the flames from reaching inhabited territory, moving into a zone where they were unable to see how close they were to the fire (John Dougherty). Sadly, the situation worsened and their squad was surrounded, cutting off their escape path and giving them no opportunity to move forward (WildlandFireLLC). The fire department was unable to establish communication and discern their location, making the rescue efforts fruitless (Weather Films). All 19 hotshots have passed away.
This tragedy has had a devastating impact on both the families of the victims and the nation alike. As such, one can not overlook the major causes of this incident, as understanding them may help to avoid making the same mistakes in the future. Firstly, the rapidly rising temperature in Arizona made the land and its vegetation highly flammable, causing the fire in the first place (Weather Films). Another important factor was that the radio communication between the hotshots and the department was not functioning properly, making both aerial support and tracking of their whereabouts impossible (John Dougherty). Lastly, the biggest cause of this tragedy was a tactical oversight by the hotshots themselves. Leaving the safe zone and inserting themselves into dangerous territory with no ability to observe the spread of the fire was their fatal mistake.
Works Cited
America Burning: The Yarnell Hill Tragedy and the Nations Wildfire Crisis YouTube, uploaded by Weather Films, 2013.
Granite Mountain Hotshot Shelter Deployment Site, Yarnell, AZ 7 23 2013 YouTube, uploaded by John Dougherty, 2013.
Yarnell Hill Briefing Video YouTube, uploaded by WildlandFireLLC, 2013.
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