Investigative MEDIA

Blue Ridge Hotshots’ reports provide insight into Yarnell Hill Fire tragedy

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Correction posted 6:37 p.m., Feb. 16, 2014: An earlier post incorrectly stated that the material included in the 40-page Blue Ridge Hotshot report was based on interviews with the firefighters. The report is actually a compilation of written statements provided by Blue Ridge Hotshots to federal officials soon after the June 30, 2013 Yarnell Hill Fire.

The Arizona Industrial Commission has released a heavily redacted copy of written reports made by members of the Blue Ridge Hotshots that were provided to federal officials concerning the events leading up to the deaths of 19 Granite Mountain Hotshots last June 30. [Read more…]

Arizona Center for Investigative Journalism receives IRS approval

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The Arizona Center for Investigative Journalism, Inc. has received formal approval from the Internal Revenue Service as a public charity and can now receive tax deductible donations.

InvestigativeMEDIA receives funding from the Center.

This is an important milestone and will allow the Center to help finance a major investigation and multimedia presentation by InvestigativeMEDIA on the Yarnell Hill Fire and the conditions that created this extraordinary disaster.

Please consider making a fully tax deductible contribution to the Center. For more information on the Center please click here or on the “donate” button to the right.

Chapter IV Comments

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Please begin Chapter IV  comments here:

Previous Comments:

Chapter I: http://www.investigativemedia.com/yarnell-hill-fire-investigation-ignored-major-mistakes-by-the-state/

Chapter II: http://www.investigativemedia.com/granite-mountain-hotshots-were-asked-if-they-could-protect-yarnell/

Chapter II supplement: http://www.investigativemedia.com/state-forestry-divison-fined-nearly-560000-for-mistakes-in-managing-yarnell-hill-fire-that-killed-19-hotshots/

Chapter III: http://www.investigativemedia.com/chapter-iii-for-comments/

Thank you, John

 

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.

[Read more…]

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)

[Read more…]

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…]

Personal Attacks and Name Calling in Comments Will Not be Tolerated

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Please refrain from ANY personal attacks or nasty comments concerning anyone posting on this site. Please maintain a professional approach to discussing the issues. Disagreement is natural. But name calling will not be tolerated and anyone who continues to post in this manner will be permanently blocked from the site. Thank you, John

Granite Mountain Hotshots Were Asked if they Could Protect Yarnell

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By John Dougherty

Published Wed., Dec. 11 2013 at 11:38 AM in Phoenix New Times

yarnell-feature-12-12.jpg
Illustration by Pat Kinsella

A state fire supervisor asked the Granite Mountain Hotshots whether they could assist in Yarnell minutes before the 19-member crew left a burned-over safety zone along a mountain ridge and began its descent into a chaparral-choked box canyon where the men died in a firestorm.

See Also: Complete coverage of the Yarnell Hill Fire here.

The request, which was not disclosed in the Serious Accident Investigation Report commissioned by the Arizona Forestry Division (released in late September), provides important new insight into why the Granite Mountain crew decided to abandon their safe position as a powerful thunderstorm rapidly approached the wildfire raging below. [Read more…]