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| Firefighters die battling Arizona wildfire | Firefighters die battling Arizona wildfire |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| At least 19 US firefighters have been killed battling a wildfire in central Arizona, local officials say. | At least 19 US firefighters have been killed battling a wildfire in central Arizona, local officials say. |
| They died while fighting the blaze threatening the town of Yarnell, about 80 miles (130km) north-west of Phoenix. | |
| The fire was started by lightning on Friday and spread rapidly amid high heat, low humidity and strong winds. | |
| Arizona and other parts of the western United States - including California - have recorded near-record temperatures over the weekend. | Arizona and other parts of the western United States - including California - have recorded near-record temperatures over the weekend. |
| "It has been confirmed that 19 wildland firefighters have lost their lives on the Yarnell Hill fire Arizona," the US Wildland Fire Aviation said in a statement, according to Reuters. | |
| The agency said it was asking "for prayers for the families and friends of these brave men and women". | |
| It gave no further details about the circumstances of their death. | |
| Some 200 firefighters are battling the fast-moving wildfire and more are heading to the area. | |
| About 50 houses in and around Yarnell have been evacuated to a nearby community college, local journalist Andy Greenberg told the BBC. | |
| Dozens of people across western US states have been treated in recent days for exhaustion and dehydration, as the region is continuing to bake in a heat wave. | |
| Temperatures in some areas are expected to be near 54C (130F) - close to the world's all-time record. | |
| The National Weather Service has issued a heat warning for several parts of the region until Monday morning. |