Mourning the Granite Mountain HotShot Fire Fighters

Another wildfire in another state took the lives of 19 elite, specialist fire fighters yesterday.  The blaze is believed to have been started by lightning, near the town of Yarnell (population 700) in Arizona.  The Granite Mountain HotShot Fire team came in to help local fire-fighters.  As the wind shifted, one member of the team went back to move their truck containing the extra gear.  At that time, unusual winds swirled and 18 members of the team, as well as one other volunteer, died in the firestorm.  Apparently, they knew the winds had changed, and had deployed their special in-field tents that should have given them oxygen and turned back the heat and flames; but the tents did not work.  Nineteen good men lost their lives trying to protect people they had never met...   Two hundred homes have been lost in Yarnell; the fire was reported at 2,000 acres last night, but is at 8,374 acres this morning.  Our entire nation is in mourning for 19 brave men - and my thoughts and prayers are extended to each and every firefighter and their family in America.  My husband was a volunteer fire fighter - I know what absolutely wonderful work each and every one of them performs.  Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
    The East Peak fire here in Colorado is now 95% contained, and the burned area is at 13,572 acres.  Fire fighters hope to have the East Peak fire completely contained on 4 July.  Thanks to clouds and low temperatures yesterday, the West Fork Complex fire is now 4% contained, while burning over 95,775 acres  (or 149.67 square miles).