Rog13GTCS

What a tragic loss of life. To these 19 Brave Heros - Rest In Peace.

Scothew

RIP brothers.

houtex

Indeed. It is a sad day.

RIP, heroes all. Boldly going into danger where others would shy away in the hopes of saving lives or property.

bob

Lives I can understand, but I can't see much worth in saving property unless it endangers more lives.

cdynaco

RIP to them all.

08GTCandyApple

So sad

CiniZter

RIP Brave souls.

houtex

Not to turn this into an argument or such, but if the entire cul-de-sac is now evacuated, everyone can just back off and let the entire set of houses burn up. No point in saving them, everyone's out.

You save everything you can in a firefight. People and things both. Because even things can cause a person's life to be less than what it was when they're gone. You might not save everyone's things, and you might not save everyone, to be honest, but they don't stop trying even when there's nobody there, unless told to let it go by a Chief.

And for that tenacity, that drive to not lose the fight until ordered back... they all get my respect.

cdynaco

If you don't attack the fire on all aspects - structures, grassy areas, wooded areas - then ultimately it is that much harder to hold any of the fire lines.
With fires creating their own (unpredictable) wind, and burning debris floating through the air starting new spot fires, if you completely ignored the structures you would have all kinds of additional, very flammable "floaters" that just keep the fire going. Those houses going up put out much more heat and explosive material than an engulfed pine tree so they try and save structures for more reasons than just saving the structures themselves.
These guys did their best and the wind caught em by surprise. It's a dangerous occupation where they work long shifts, live in a tent eating so so food from the commissary for weeks, and breathe nothing but smoke filled air.