PRESCOTT, Arizona -- The 19 firemen killed in Arizona in the worst U.S. wildland firefighting tragedy in 80 years apparently were outflanked by wind-driven flames in seconds, before some could scramble into cocoon-like personal shelters.
Details of Sunday's deaths of all but one member of a specially trained, 20-man "Hotshots" team remained vague a day after they perished in a blaze that destroyed scores of homes and forced the evacuation of two towns in central Arizona.

But fragments of the firefighters' final moments painted some of the picture as an investigation was launched into how the disaster unfolded and their remains were borne away in a cortege of 19 white coroner's vans to Phoenix for autopsies.

The solemn procession from the team's home base in the town of Prescott was welcomed by a police and firefighter honor guard after passing beneath a flag-draped arch of ladders extended from two firetrucks parked on either side of the roadway.

Fire officials said the young men fell victim to a highly volatile mix of erratic winds gusting to gale-force intensity, low humidity, a sweltering heat wave and thick, drought-parched brush that had not burned in some 40 years.

The deaths brought an outpouring of tributes from political leaders, including U.S. President Barack Obama, who is on an official trip to Africa.

Arizona Governor Jan Brewer called the deaths "one of our state's darkest, most devastating days" and ordered state flags flown at half staff from Monday through Wednesday.

The blaze was sparked on Friday by lightning near the town of Yarnell, about 80 miles northwest of Phoenix. It was still raging unchecked on Monday after scorching some 8,400 acres of tinder-dry chaparral and grasslands.

Its sad indeed... Even the shelters are no match for natures strongest forces.