Days after 19 firefighters were killed in a massive wildfire in Arizona, details are now emerging about how the Granite Mountain Interagency Hotshot Crew were overtaken by the flames and the conditions that rapidly changed that led to their deaths.
Cindy Carcamo, a national correspondent and Arizona Bureau Chief for The Los Angeles Times, and her colleagues got an exclusive on the first detailed explanation of what happened on Sunday. According to her report the Hotshot crew “suddenly were encircled by a dense cloud of smoke and flame.”
Her report goes on to say that things got worse when the wind shifted and the sudden arrival of a thunderstorm cell amounted to “the perfect storm,” says Wade Ward, the fire department spokesman, according to Carcamo’s report.
She is on the program to discuss the conditions of the fire that led to their death.
Stay updated on the latest from The Takeaway–become a Facebook fan & follow us on Twitter!
Our coverage reaches millions each week, but only a small fraction of listeners contribute to sustain our program. We still need 224 more people to donate $100 or $10/monthly to unlock our $67,000 match. Will you help us get there today?