Fire Safe San Mateo County expresses condolences to the families of the 19 firefighters who died in Yarnell, Arizona yesterday, and to the extended community of wildland firefighters in the United States. The Prescott (Arizona) Fire Department confirms that 19 firefighters who were members of the Granite Mountain Hotshots died when they were overrun by fire while fighting the Yarnell Hill Fire June 30, 2013 near Prescott.

Arizona Department of Forestry spokesman Art Morrison said the firefighters were caught by the fire near the central town of Yarnell located about 85 miles northwest of Phoenix and 35 miles from Prescott.

Morrison said the firefighters were forced to deploy their fire shelters, tent-like, aluminized structures designed to shield firefighters from flames and heat as a last resort when escape is impossible.

Prescott Fire Chief Dan Fraijo said the entire Granite Mountain Hostshot crew had been killed. The unit was established in 2002 and had worked other wildfires in recent weeks in New Mexico and Arizona.

This is the deadliest wildfire incident for firefighters in modern American history. Information on the deadliest incidents in the U.S. resulting in the deaths of 8 or more firefighters is available form the NFPA.

More information is available from the Arizona Daily Star, here...

FIRE SAFE San Mateo County supporters, please mark your calendars for our annual barbecue and meeting August 13, 2014 at 10:15 am at Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve, providing us a chance to network and celebrate the accomplishments of the past year.

Please feel free to invite your supervisors and chiefs. We ask that all attendees RSVP so we know how much food to buy. Please RSVP online, and be sure to note the number and names attending in your group!

You'll find directions to Jasper Ridge, below. Do not rely on Google maps - they won't work. Unless you are delivering something, PLEASE use the visitor parking lot, not the staff parking lot because we can't hold all of you and then you become a fire hazard by restricting access to the hydrant.

RSVP online

Directions:

If travelling from the north or the south, exit I-280 at Sand Hill Road west. Follow Sand Hill Road about 2 miles west of I-280.

• Along the way, you will pass an equestrian facility on your right as you approach the Whiskey Hill intersection at the bottom of a hill.

• The gate is another 1 mile or so. The main gate (an electric gate) will be on your left. While on Sand Hill Road, should you reach Portola Road or Family Farm Road, you’ve passed the gate and will need to turn around.

• If the gate is closed (it will be open from 10-11), at the entrance there is a phone. If you dial 005 (you will reach Philippe Cohen on his cell), and you be can let in remotely.

• Follow the signs to the visitor parking lot for the Leslie Sun Field Station.

• The trail on the left side of the parking lot takes you directly to the picnic area. The trail on the right takes to the building first and then you have to go through the building.

Directions to Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve