Forest Service releases Yarnell Hill Fire videos to InvestigativeMEDIA

November 12, 2014 By John Dougherty 3 Comments

The U.S. Forest Service has released to InvestigativeMEDIA the same set of Yarnell Hill Fire videos the Arizona Forestry Division posted on its website on Saturday, Nov. 8.

InvestigativeMEDIA filed a Freedom of Information Act request for the videos on Oct. 13. There is no indication that the Arizona Forestry Division filed a separate Freedom of Information Act request for the documents. The Forest Service has not provided an explanation of why the Forestry Division received the videos prior to InvestigativeMEDIA. The division states it received the videos on Nov. 7.

The 21 videos containing 43 minutes and one second of footage were embedded on a DVD-ROM disc that was sent by U.S. mail to InvestigativeMEDIA and received on Nov. 12.

“In response to your request, we conducted a search for responsive electronic and hard copy records, everywhere a reasonably knowledgeable professional could expect to find responsive records,” Tom Harbour, Forest Service Director of Fire and Aviation Management, wrote in an accompanying letter dated Nov. 7.

Harbour stated four of the videos were redacted under an exemption to the Freedom of Information Act.

One video was redacted three seconds to the blur the face of a private party, a second video was redacted in two places “to protect the discussion of a personal telephone number”, and two other videos were edited to remove images of bodies of the 19 Granite Mountain Hotshots who perished on June 30, 2013 in the Yarnell Hill Fire.

It is unknown why the videos were not made available to investigators in 2013. The Forestry Division released its Serious Accident Investigation Report in September 2013. The Arizona Department of Occupational Safety and Health released its investigation in December.

The Forest Service’s failure to provide the videos to investigators last year is particularly troubling because one of the 21 newly released videos was provided to the Arizona Forestry Division and included in its supplemental records released last December.

The Forestry Division identifies this video as exhibit “A-22 HelmetCamVideo“.

The video includes the audio of Granite Mountain’s desperate calls for help moments before flames engulfed the crew. This video was widely publicized in the media. The newly released videos include clips that were recorded immediately prior and after the HelmetCamVideo released last year.

Most of the videos were taken by a Prescott National Forest firefighter through a video camera that was attached to his helmet.

Three Prescott National Forest firefighters, including the individual with the helmet camera, joined two commanders of the Blue Ridge Hotshots in conducting a ground search for Granite Mountain. A Department of Public Safety helicopter dropped off a medic who discovered the bodies a few minutes before the ground crew reached the entrapment site about 600 yards west of the Boulder Springs Ranch in Yarnell.

Analysis of the newly released videos and accompanying audio is ongoing to determine whether any new information surfaces that can explain why the Granite Mountain Hotshots left a safe area in a burned over zone on the top of the Weaver Mountains west of Yarnell and descended into brushy box canyon sometime after 4 p.m. after the fire had reversed direction and was moving towards the town.

State Forestry Division Releases New Yarnell Hill Fire Video In Response to InvestigativeMEDIA’s Public Records Request

November 8, 2014 By John Dougherty 5 Comments

The Arizona State Forestry Division Saturday released additional video taken by Prescott National Forest firefighters during the Yarnell Hill Fire that killed 19 Granite Mountain Hotshots on June 30, 2013 in response to an Oct. 11 public records request filed by InvestigativeMEDIA.

The Forestry Division posted the videos on its website Saturday afternoon. All of the newly released videos are posted at the end of this story.

“On November 7, 2014, the following video clips were received by Arizona State Forestry through a Freedom of Information Act request to the US Forest Service,” the division stated in a press release posted on its website.

“To be transparent with the public, the videos are presented exactly as they have been received. The redactions were done before these videos came into the possession of Arizona State Forestry,” the division stated.

An eight-minute segment of the video taken by the Prescott National Forest firefighters was released last year and contained the dramatic audio of Granite Mountain Hotshots’ desperate calls for help moments before they were killed in a ferocious wildfire. The segment is included in the supplemental records that accompanied the Forestry Division’s Serious Accident Investigation Report into the tragedy and identified as “Exhibit A-22 HelmetCamVideo”. The supplemental records were released last winter and are posted here.

InvestigativeMEDIA learned that there was additional video taken by the PNF firefighters and filed a series of public records with state and federal agencies for the video. [Read more…]

Western Science vs. Native Science – Cultural Imperialism

July 2, 2014 By Investigative Media Leave a Comment

Vernon Masayesva, Founder and Director Black Mesa Trust

Western science operates by taking things apart and analyzing the pieces. This reductive process has produced enormously important technological and medical advances. Because of the scientific method, Western science appears able to control the environment and provide greater human comfort, and its successes sometimes make it appear infallible.

Native science operates by observing the whole and the interaction of the parts. This method, also an organized belief system, has sustained Native peoples and cultures for millennia against nearly overwhelming odds. But, because of this world view, traditional peoples often find themselves ill-prepared to protect their own best interest. [Read more…]

Yarnell residents file lawsuit against Arizona State Forestry Division

June 25, 2014 By John Dougherty Leave a Comment

More that 180 Yarnell residents and business owners today filed a lawsuit against the Arizona State Forestry Division alleging that the state acted with “extreme negligence” in responding to and controlling the Yarnell Hill Fire that destroyed much of the town and killed 19 members of the Granite Mountain Hotshots last June 30.

The lawsuit filed in Maricopa County Superior Court is the first of several expected to be filed this week as the deadline for filing lawsuits within one year of the tragic wildfire approaches.

The lawsuit provides a detailed timeline alleging the state was negligent by failing to quickly respond to the lightning-caused fire on the evening of June 28 and subsequently deploying inadequate resources to manage the wildfire after it escaped the initial attack on the afternoon of June 29.

“The Arizona State Forestry Division committed extreme negligence by entrusting management of the Yarnell Hill Fire to a low-level, exhausted, negligent, situationally unaware, inadequately experienced and overwhelmed Type 4 Incident Commander,” alleges the lawsuit filed by the Scottsdale law firm Knapp & Roberts P.C.

“What’s bothered me from the beginning is why this (fire) was not put out the first day,” says attorney Craig Knapp. “I just don’t get it.”

Knapp says Yarnell firefighters and volunteers were told to “stand down” by state forestry officials on the evening of June 28 when the fire was smoldering near the peak of the Weaver Mountains west of Yarnell.

They “should have attacked it when it was small,” Knapp says. “It takes very little resources and you can save millions of dollars and lives. They just didn’t do that.”

Knapp said his firm intends to file additional lawsuits this week including a class action suit on behalf of Yarnell residents who are not identified as plaintiffs in today’s claim and wrongful death lawsuits on behalf of families of three members of the Granite Mountain Hotshots.

Global Mining Observer reports on checkered past of Augusta Resource’s executives based on InvestigativeMEDIA’s research

May 17, 2014 By John Dougherty Leave a Comment

The London-based Global Mining Observer on Friday published a summary of information previously reported by InvestigativeMEDIA on the business backgrounds of the key executives of Augusta Resource Corporation which is seeking permits to build the controversial Rosemont open-pit copper mine southeast of Tucson.

The widely read independent mining journal highlighted InvestigativeMEDIA’s reporting on Augusta chairman Richard Warke’s 1998 bankruptcy that was hidden from investors in regulatory disclosures by public companies where Warke served on the board of directors including Vancouver, B.C.-based Augusta Resource.

The journal also reported on statements from InvestigativeMEDIA’s documentary “Cyanide Beach” about a former business associate’s assessment of Warke’s honesty. InvestigativeMEDIA’s entire report on Augusta Resource’s executives business history can be found here:

Augusta Resource’s top officers have a history of bankruptcies, cease trade orders and stock exchange delistings

InvestigativeMEDIA’s complete report on Warke and fellow Augusta board members investments in a Sardinian gold mine can be found here: