Nineteen

Granite Mountain Hotshots

I am in no mood to be jocular these days.

Nineteen firefighters died Sunday while doing their job.

The Yarnell Hill Fire was ignited by lightning on June 28, 2013 near Yarnell, Ariz. On June 30, 19 firefighters with the Prescott Fire Department's interagency Granite Mountain Hotshots were overrun and killed by the fire. Only one member of the team survived.

This event resulted in the highest firefighter death toll since 9/11.

The United Phoenix Fire Fighters Association, together with the Prescott Fire Fighters Charities, has established a 501(c)3 relief fund. More information can be found here.