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.

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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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