The Yarnell Hill Fire Serious Accident Investigation Report was released on Sept. 28, 2013 during a press conference in Prescott, AZ.
InvestigativeMEDIA is continuing to investigate the events that led up to the deaths of 19 Granite Mountain Hotshots during the June 30 wildfire.
Videos of the entire press conference and an interview with lead investigator, Florida State Forester Jim Karels, are posted below.
Opening statements by the Serious Accident Investigation Team:
After refusing to answer written questions or to be interviewed before publication of the New Times August 22 cover story, “Lambs to Slaughter,” about the deaths of 19 Granite Mountain firefighters, Prescott hotshots boss Darrell Willis sent New Times a letter containing what he claims are 22 inaccuracies in the article.
InvestigativeMEDIA’s editor John Dougherty wrote the story for Phoenix New Times and the article also appears on this website. The New Times responded to Willis’ claims with an extraordinary Sept. 10 story published on its website. Dougherty contributed to the New Times’ article responding to Willis’ claims.
The New Times story corrects three minor errors in the Aug. 22 article and New Times rejected Willis’ request for a sweeping retraction of the conclusions and opinions expressed in the story. InvestigativeMEDIA appreciates New Times continued support and confidence in the reporting. [Read more…]
By John Dougherty
The Granite Mountain Hotshots’ regularly scheduled day off was Sunday, June 30, the day the crew was dispatched to Yarnell and 19 of its 20 members were killed by a wildfire, newly released federal records show.
When Granite Mountain reported to Yarnell it was the 28th day that month the crew had been on duty, according to the records released by the state Forestry Division in response to an Arizona Public Records Law request filed by InvestigativeMEDIA. [Read more…]
The Los Angeles Times is noting that “an extensive and intriguing story in a Phoenix newspaper suggests that there might be more to the deaths of 19 elite firefighters this summer than just a freak storm that whipped the fire near Yarnell, Ariz., around them, cutting off their escape.”
The Times is referring to InvestigativeMEDIA’s feature on the Granite Mountain Hotshots that was also published in the Phoenix New Times.
“There have been angry outcries against anyone who even suggests the possibility of human error in the Yarnell fire,” writes Karin Klein. “Some of the hotshot team’s supporters have said that even if there were shortcomings on the part of the team, they should be kept confidential, imparted only to other firefighters to prevent further harm. That’s ridiculous. Such findings wouldn’t detract from the bravery these men showed in their chosen careers or the grueling work they undertook on the part of the public. They don’t have to be enshrined as perfect human beings to be admired.
The public, which also mourns them and has an interest in preventing future tragedies, has a right to know what happened.”
