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VIDEOS: Solemn Salutes To Fallen Firefighters In Arizona

The simple, sobering sound of a bell ringing as each firefighter's name and age was read brings home the sad story from Prescott, Ariz., where 19 Granite Mountain Hotshots who died Sunday fighting a wildfire were remembered Monday.

The Associated Press has posted video from that ceremony.

ABC15 in Phoenix has also posted its video.

As NPR's Nathan Rott reported from Prescott on Morning Edition, the scale of the tragedy is starting to sink in even as the fire continues to burn. "News that the Granite Mountain Hot Shots were overtaken by flames has put the town in a trance," he says.

Meanwhile, Nathan adds, "the fire that claimed those 19 lives is still burning uncontrolled and uncontained, about 30 miles southwest of town. More than 400 firefighters — including a few other 'hotshot' crews — are still battling the blaze, which has now charred over 50 structures and 8,000 acres."

Related: How Firefighters Cope With Profound Tragedy.

Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

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Mark Memmott is NPR's supervising senior editor for Standards & Practices. In that role, he's a resource for NPR's journalists – helping them raise the right questions as they do their work and uphold the organization's standards.
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