Investigative MEDIA

Contrary to official investigations, Yarnell Hill fire supervisors knew Granite Mountain Hotshots were moving from safety zone towards Yarnell before the crew perished

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New information gleamed from recordings of Granite Mountain Supervisor Eric Marsh and Yarnell Hill fire commanders indicate that Marsh was at a ranch house on the outskirts of Yarnell shortly before the entrapment of the Granite Mountain Hotshot crew.

Wildfire Today posted a story Sunday that discusses recordings that indicate Marsh was at the Boulder Springs Ranch and that fire commanders were aware that the Granite Mountain crew was moving from their safety zone on a ridge top west of Yarnell. At one point, a fire commander asked Marsh if the crew could move faster.

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Yarnell Hill Fire Serious Accident Investigation Report Supporting Documentation

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Update: April 7, 2014:

InvestigativeMEDIA has completed uploading the entire supporting documentation for the Serious Accident Investigation Report released by the Arizona Forestry Division in response to an Arizona Public Records Law request. The individuals files are listed below with their corresponding links.

A-Correspondence: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/02ue6bnjp6nazkm/DwKDEHvs-F/Correspondence

B-Information Management: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/02ue6bnjp6nazkm/18ko99d_mm/Information%20Managment

C-Safety: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/02ue6bnjp6nazkm/JuJD1WOn39/Safety

D-Planning: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/02ue6bnjp6nazkm/9SpYbQrtRU/Planning

E-Maps: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/02ue6bnjp6nazkm/J91iTmqlvw/Maps

F-Photos and Videos (See below)

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Chapter III for comments

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Please begin a new comment section below as Chapter II is filling up. Please keep the dialogue positive and informative. I’m working on upgrading the site to handle the heavy comment load.

And, I’m in the process of uploading the entire Arizona Forestry Division SAIR supplemental data. It’s 58GB of data and is taking considerable time. Thank you for your patience.

Twelve Granite Mountain Hotshot Families File Wrongful Death Claims Seeking $237.5 Million

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By John Dougherty

The families of 12 of the Granite Mountain Hotshots killed on June 30 in the Yarnell Hill Fire today filed notice of claims with the city of Prescott, Central Yavapai County Fire District, the Arizona Forestry Division, Yavapai County and four fire commanders seeking $237.5 million in damages.

On July 3, Investigators inspect the location where the Granite Mountain Hotshots were entrapped by flames three days earlier.

Investigators on July 3 inspect the location where the Granite Mountain Hotshots were entrapped by flames four days earlier. (Photo: Arizona State Forestry Division)

Prescott attorney Thomas Kelly, who once served as assistant superintendent of the Prescott Hotshots, filed the claims on behalf of the families that includes several of the crew’s most experienced members including Granite Mountain Hotshot Captain Jesse Steed.

The claims name four fire commanders who were working under the state’s direction on June 30: Roy Hall, incident commander, Arizona State Forestry Division; Russ Shumate, incident commander, Arizona State Forestry Division; Todd Abel, field operations chief, Central Yavapai Fire District; and Darrell Willis, Wildlands Division Chief, Prescott Fire Department. [Read more…]