No escape for 19 Arizona firefighters

Nineteen firefighters were killed Sunday while fighting the Yarnell Hill fire, northwest of Phoenix. They were part of an elite squad confronting wildfires on the front line, setting up barriers to stop the spreading destruction. But in their unpredictable world, it doesn't take much to turn a situation deadly.

When they realized there was no escape, the firefighters literally dug in and used their fire shelters – known as "shake and bake" tents – to shield them from the flames. The protective foil coverings, just big enough to cover one firefighter, are the absolute last resort.

CNN's Tom Foreman has a look at where these firefighters were, and the elements they were up against. Check out his report in the video above.