Official: 19 firefighters die battling Ariz. fire

YARNELL, Ariz. (AP) — An Arizona fire chief says a wildfire that killed 19 members of his crew was moving fast and fueled by hot, dry conditions.

Prescott Fire Chief Dan Fraijo said in a news conference that the department is grieving the loss of so many of its members.

The flames from the blaze lit up the night sky in the forest above the town, and smoke could be smelled for miles.

The fire started with a lightning strike on Friday and spread to 2,000 acres on Sunday amid triple-digit temperatures. It burned several homes about 85 miles northwest of Phoenix.