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Bodies of Arizona firefighters recovered

Mon, 01 Jul 2013 19:20:00 +0000

YARNELL, Ariz. (AP) — As the windblown blaze suddenly swept toward them, an elite crew of firefighting "hotshots" desperately rushed to break out their emergency shelters and take cover on the ground under the foil-lined fabric.

By the time the flames had passed, 19 men lay dead in the nation's biggest loss of firefighters in a wildfire in 80 years.

The tragedy Sunday evening all but wiped out the 20-member Granite Mountain Hotshots, a unit based in the small town of Prescott, Prescott Fire Chief Dan Fraijo said as the last of the bodies were retrieved from the mountain. Only one member survived, and that was because he was moving the unit's truck at the time, authorities said.

The deaths plunged the town into mourning, and Arizona's governor called it "as dark a day I can remember" and ordered flags flown at half-staff.

"We are heartbroken about what happened," President Barack Obama said while on a visit to Africa. He predicted the tragedy will force government leaders to answer broader questions about how they handle increasingly destructive and deadly wildfires.

Arizona tragedy: 19 firefighters killed in out-of-control wildfire

Mon, 01 Jul 2013 08:09:00 +0000

Gusty, hot winds blew an Arizona blaze out of control Sunday in a forest northwest of Phoenix, overtaking and killing 19 members of an elite fire crew in the deadliest wildfire involving firefighters in the U.S. for at least 30 years.

The "hotshot" firefighters were forced to deploy their emergency fire shelters - tent-like structures meant to shield firefighters from flames and heat - when they were caught near the central Arizona town of Yarnell, state forestry spokesman Art Morrison told The Associated Press.

The fire also destroyed an estimated 200 homes, Morrison said. Dry grass near the communities of Yarnell and Glen Isla fed the fast-moving blaze, which was whipped up by wind and raced through the homes, he said.

The fire still burned late Sunday, with flames lighting up the night sky in the forest above Yarnell, a town of about 700 residents about 85 miles northwest of Phoenix. Most people had evacuated from the town, and no injuries or other deaths were reported.

The fire started after a lightning strike on Friday and spread to at least 2,000 acres on Sunday amid triple-digit temperatures, low humidity and windy conditions.

Chargers beat Pack 21-13 in preseason opener

Fri, 10 Aug 2012 03:38:19 +0000

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Shannon Eastin made history.

Some of the players she was officiating made it look ugly.

Eastin became the first woman to officiate an NFL game, serving as the line judge in the San Diego Chargers' 21-13 preseason victory over the Green Bay Packers on Thursday night.

The preseason opener for both teams was predictably sloppy at times, filled with fumbles, interceptions and missed assignments.

Philip Rivers had a touchdown, an interception and a fumble in limited action for the Chargers (No. 16 in the AP Pro32). Rookie Jarrett Lee got most of the snaps, throwing for 235 yards and a touchdown.

Aaron Rodgers had an interception and a fumble in three series for the Packers (No. 1).

Eastin turned it into a history-making event merely with her presence.

Among a group of replacement officials working games while the regular refs are locked out, Eastin was dwarfed by the players on San Diego's sideline and had a camera following her every move before the game.

A 16-year officiating veteran, she seemed at ease with the spotlight, staying steady among the giants and the national spotlight. Chargers tackle Jeromey Clary and linebacker Antwan Barnes each sought her out just before the opening kickoff, shaking her hand and saying a few words.

Eastin breaks NFL’s on-field gender barrier

Fri, 10 Aug 2012 00:57:17 +0000

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Shannon Eastin has become the first woman to officiate an NFL game.

Eastin broke the NFL's on-field gender barrier Thursday night, serving as the line judge for a seven-man crew working a preseason game between the Green Bay Packers and San Diego Chargers.

Wearing No. 27 on the back of her official's uniform, Eastin was dwarfed by the players as she lined up in front of San Diego's sideline and had a camera following nearly every move before the game.

The 42-year-old from Tempe, Ariz., seemed at ease in the spotlight, though, and had at least two players shake her hand right before the opening kickoff.

Eastin is a referee in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, college football's second-highest level, and a 16-year veteran of officiating. She got her NFL shot as a replacement official, among a group taking the place of the regular refs, who are locked out.

And now, she'll have a place in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Well, at least her cap will; the one she wore Thursday night is headed to Canton.

Replacement officials are working games for the first time in 11 years. Beginning with six games Thursday, they're scheduled to work 16 games this weekend.

Trojans and Ducks the teams to beat in Pac-12

Wed, 01 Aug 2012 22:22:20 +0000

The Pac-12 underwent some major changes during the offseason, adding four new coaches and an influx of fast-paced offenses.

The top of the conference still has a familiar look: Southern California in the South, Oregon in the North.

The Ducks never left, really. The Trojans had to fight their way back after some dark days.

Leveled by sanctions that led to the Reggie Bush Heisman Trophy giveback, USC was banned from the postseason the past two seasons and hamstrung by the loss of 30 scholarships over three years.

Postseason eligible again, USC is back, buoyed by the return of quarterback Matt Barkley, a Heisman Trophy favorite, the addition of Penn State leading rusher Silas Redd and 17 returning starters.

The Trojans aren't just the favorites to win the Pac-12 South. They're a front-runner to win the final BCS championship next January.

"We're two years removed from what was handed down as people saying 'SC is over,' and being a preseason No. 1 team two years later is extremely exciting for our university and for our fans," USC coach Lane Kiffin said.

Oregon had been the Pac-12's dominant team while the Trojans were pushed away from the spotlight.

Heisman finalists mirror BCS championship game

Mon, 06 Dec 2010 23:45:00 +0000

Auburn quarterback Cam Newton and Oregon running back LaMichael James will meet up in New York before heading to Arizona for next month's national championship game.

Newton and James have been announced as finalists for the Heisman Trophy and will be joined by Stanford's Andrew Luck and Kellen Moore of Boise State for Saturday's announcement.

Newton overcame a pay-to-play scandal with a superb season on the field, piling up nearly 4,000 combined yards and 48 touchdowns in leading the top-ranked Tigers into the Jan. 10 national championship game.

The dynamic James had more yards and touchdowns than anyone else in FBS, helping the second-ranked Ducks into their first national championship game.