Friday, June 30, 2023, is the 10th anniversary of the deaths of 19 wildland firefighters in Arizona.

They were hotshots, the kind of people who really do fight fire with fire.

Led by a consummate professional, the team made a move that no one expected and no one can explain.

That move caused the deaths of the entire crew except for a lookout, who was stationed some distance away.

To help me tell their story today, I’ve enlisted the help of Todd Able. He’s a battalion chief with the Central Arizona Fire and Medical Authority. He is also an experienced Type I Operations Section Chief for wildland fires. And that’s where he was assigned on the Yarnell Hill fire.