Yarnell Hill Serious Accident Investigation Report

Contributed by: Rob O'Dell (Arizona Republic)

p. 1

p. 2

p. 3

p. 4

Table of Contents

p. 5

p. 6

Executive Summary

p. 7

Loss of communication

Key unanswered question

p. 8

Two thousand degree temps

Radio miscommunications

Area primed to burn

p. 9

More miscommunication

Re-engaging the fire?

Lack of air support

p. 10

p. 11

Does not lay blame

p. 12

p. 13

Part I -Narrative, Analysis, Conclusions, Recommendations

p. 14

p. 15

p. 16

p. 17

Lightning ignites the fire

p. 18

p. 19

Rapid escalation

p. 20

p. 21

p. 22

p. 23

p. 24

p. 25

p. 26

p. 27

p. 28

Winds "squirrely"

Weather reports

p. 29

p. 30

Fire running at Yarnell

Discussing options

p. 31

Summary of wind conditions

p. 32

p. 33

Final contact - chaotic transmissions

p. 34

Escape route cut off

p. 35

p. 36

Search and rescue begins

p. 37

Shelters spotted

Summary of findings

p. 38

p. 39

30-minute communication gap

p. 40

p. 41

p. 42

Possible reasons for their movement

p. 43

Reasons for movement (continued)

p. 44

p. 45

p. 46

p. 47

p. 48

Conclusions cited in McKee notice of claim

p. 49

p. 50

Part II - Learned Discussion

p. 51

p. 52

p. 53

Protecting Yarnell?

p. 54

p. 55

p. 56

p. 57

p. 58

Boulder Springs Ranch safety zone

p. 59

p. 60

Questions about safety and lookouts

p. 61

Radio traffic heavy

p. 62

p. 63

Communications standards

Lack of understanding

p. 64

p. 65

p. 66

Appendix

p. 67

p. 68

p. 69

p. 70

p. 71

p. 72

p. 73

p. 74

p. 75

p. 76

p. 77

p. 78

p. 79

p. 80

p. 81

p. 82

p. 83

p. 84

p. 85

p. 86

p. 87

Fire progression map

p. 88

p. 89

Deployment site

p. 90

p. 91

p. 92

Heat too great for shelters

p. 93

p. 94

p. 95

p. 96

p. 97

p. 98

p. 99

p. 100

p. 101

p. 102

p. 103

p. 104

p. 105

p. 106

p. 107

p. 108

p. 109

p. 110

p. 111

Training standards

Work and training schedule scrutinized

p. 112

p. 113

p. 114

p. 115

p. 116

p. 117

p. 118

p. 119

p. 120

p. 121

p. 122