Fire crews in Arizona say they have begun to contain the deadly blaze that killed 19 firefighters on Sunday. Local officials say the fire is no longer raging out of control. The firefighters’ deaths marked the worst loss of life in a U.S. wildfire in 80 years. On Tuesday, mourners in the town of Prescott gathered for a candlelight vigil. Prescott Fire Battalion Chief Ralph Lucas paid tribute to his fallen colleagues.
Ralph Lucas: “I’m going to leave here remembering your husbands, your uncles, your dads. I had the great pleasure of getting to lead your spouses on many a fire over the years, and that’s what I’ll use to carry me into the future as a firefighter.”
The Arizona fire is one of a number wildfires that have raged in the past week amidst record-shattering heat across the western United States.