Santiago Fire - NBC News Tribute to Firefighters

[minnsfamily]

A huge thank you to all the firefighters who worked so bravely to save our homes in Portola Hills

[msteelman]

thank you firefighters for saving our neighborhood of santiago canyon estates!!!!

[lobofamily]

All firefighters are brave heroes!!! We thank you for your service.!

[FireLineUP]

Greetings from R8 wildland Firefighters, Good job guys and gals! Thank God you are all safe and back in the fight.Nothing like having to deploy your 'shake and bakes' to get everyone worried. We walk where the Devil dances. Salute to you Firefighters!

[FFahall]

Thank God they survived uninjured or killed. I am glad the captain had his wits about him while he had deployed those shelters

[king4wd]

I am a firefighter from arizona and I just got back from the Santiago Fire. To say the least... It was different. We were given directions to the fire itself not the fire camp where we were supposed to be. We drove up santiago canyon rd right past the deployed fire shelters. Training needs to focus on how to avoid getting in a situation where we need to use our shelters. Those guys are lucky they didn't get killed.

[sensordev]

They were making a desperate attempt to stop a fire jump heading into the three canyons and the national forest. As they fought the burn on top, another flared behind them, burning their hose and cutting of the path of retreat. With no water drops available they were not able to stop it and it went on to destroy 14 homes and devastate 10,000 more acres. The way to avoid getting caught would have been not to try to stop the jumped fire, and they didn't see that as an option.

[firecaptdave]

Kudos to Orange County Fire Authority Fire Captain Mitch Kahn and the other supervisors who kept cool heads and got their crews into their shelters.