This is a terrible tragedy! It reminds of the 8 Oregon firefighters that got caught between two fire lines that had shifted abruptly due to wind direction changes; and they lost their lives also, a few years ago. These are brave people trying to save our forests. My thoughts and prayers are with them and their families right now. ...

At what point do we put undue risk on firefighters in attempt to save property or timber? To me, at no point. Any tactical errors need to be on the cautious side for the firefighters, and keep the risk where it shoud be - very low. Fires are a natural occurance that is a normal part of a forest's ecosystem. The thinning out process and important new undergrowth are part of the evolution of healthy forests. Those dynamics have been changed by money/greed. That illness has to take a backseat to the safety of all firefighters! Allow them to reduce the overall fire damage as best they can without undue risk - only.

RT