Yarnell Hill Fire Update
Tuesday, July
2, 2013, 10 pm
Yarnell Hill Fire investigation begins Tuesday
PHOENIX,
Ariz. – An official investigation into the deaths of 19 Granite Mountain Hotshots killed June 30 in the Yarnell Hill Fire
is scheduled to begin Tuesday.
The independent investigation will be led by Florida State Forester Jim Karels. Mike Dudley, Acting Director of Cooperative Forestry for the USDA Forest Service, will be the secondary team lead.
Other entities participating in the investigation include the U.S. Forest Service Missoula Technology and Development Center, the Missoula Fire Department, and the Bureau of Land Management, and Arizona Division of Occupational Safety and Health. Team members are technical specialist and fire behavior analysts.
The local liaisons to the nine-member Yarnell Hill Investigation Team are Arizona State Forester Scott Hunt and Prescott Fire Chief Dan Fraijo.
The last of the team members will arrive in Phoenix later today for an in-briefing from the Arizona State Forester.
As part of the investigation, the team will review Sunday's weather conditions, fire department records, radio logs and any other evidence that may help determine how to prevent a similar tragedy in the future.
“We are confident that the investigative team will find lessons to be learned from this tragedy,” Hunt said. “We have a responsibility to those lost and their loved ones, as well as to current and future wildland firefighters, to understand what happened as completely as possible.”
The team will release updates from its investigation later this week.
The independent investigation will be led by Florida State Forester Jim Karels. Mike Dudley, Acting Director of Cooperative Forestry for the USDA Forest Service, will be the secondary team lead.
Other entities participating in the investigation include the U.S. Forest Service Missoula Technology and Development Center, the Missoula Fire Department, and the Bureau of Land Management, and Arizona Division of Occupational Safety and Health. Team members are technical specialist and fire behavior analysts.
The local liaisons to the nine-member Yarnell Hill Investigation Team are Arizona State Forester Scott Hunt and Prescott Fire Chief Dan Fraijo.
The last of the team members will arrive in Phoenix later today for an in-briefing from the Arizona State Forester.
As part of the investigation, the team will review Sunday's weather conditions, fire department records, radio logs and any other evidence that may help determine how to prevent a similar tragedy in the future.
“We are confident that the investigative team will find lessons to be learned from this tragedy,” Hunt said. “We have a responsibility to those lost and their loved ones, as well as to current and future wildland firefighters, to understand what happened as completely as possible.”
The team will release updates from its investigation later this week.
Latest Yarnell Hill Fire Facts
Today, firefighters made good
progress on the northeast corner and the fire perimeter near Yarnell. Two hot shot crews scouted the western flank
until the threat of thunderstorms caused them to move to safer areas. Creeping and smoldering continued around the
structures, primarily in the afternoon, and some areas around structures are
still holding enough heat to be a concern.
A plan is being developed to restore utilities and infrastructure to the
affected communities. Contingency lines
were scouted in case the fire becomes active again. Tonight, crews will be
patrolling in the developed areas and working on flareups and visible heat.
Fire Start Date: June 28, 2013 at 5:30 p.m.
Location: West of State 89 between Yarnell and Peeples Valley
Size: Estimated at 8,400 acres
Percent Contained: 8 percent containment
Cause: Lightning
Evacuations: Residents of Peeples Valley and Yarnell, evacuated by the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office on Sunday, remain out of their homes. The Yarnell Fire Department and Yavapai County are assessing homes and structures around Glen Ilah and Yarnell and are working hard to have the evacuees return to their homes. Red Cross shelters are open at Yavapai Community College in Prescott at 928-717-8210 and at the Wickenburg High School in Wickenburg at 480-213-0706. People and small animals are welcome at both shelters while large livestock can be taken to Hidden Springs Ranch on Highway 89.
Meetings: There will be a community meeting in Wickenburg at 11:00 a.m. tomorrow morning at the Wickenburg High School.
Fire Closures: State Highway 89 remains closed between Date Creek Road south of Yarnell and at mile marker 283 north of Peeples Valley. The Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office has three different road blocks: the junctions of Highway 89 and Hays Ranch Road; Hays Ranch Road and Sickles Ranch Road; and at Buckhorn and Frontier Road.
Website: inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/
Fire Start Date: June 28, 2013 at 5:30 p.m.
Location: West of State 89 between Yarnell and Peeples Valley
Size: Estimated at 8,400 acres
Percent Contained: 8 percent containment
Cause: Lightning
Evacuations: Residents of Peeples Valley and Yarnell, evacuated by the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office on Sunday, remain out of their homes. The Yarnell Fire Department and Yavapai County are assessing homes and structures around Glen Ilah and Yarnell and are working hard to have the evacuees return to their homes. Red Cross shelters are open at Yavapai Community College in Prescott at 928-717-8210 and at the Wickenburg High School in Wickenburg at 480-213-0706. People and small animals are welcome at both shelters while large livestock can be taken to Hidden Springs Ranch on Highway 89.
Meetings: There will be a community meeting in Wickenburg at 11:00 a.m. tomorrow morning at the Wickenburg High School.
Fire Closures: State Highway 89 remains closed between Date Creek Road south of Yarnell and at mile marker 283 north of Peeples Valley. The Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office has three different road blocks: the junctions of Highway 89 and Hays Ranch Road; Hays Ranch Road and Sickles Ranch Road; and at Buckhorn and Frontier Road.
Number of Resources: There are 596 personnel assigned to the fire, including eight
crews and 44 engines. At least nine
helicopters assigned to the incident and air tankers are available to support
firefighters.
Fire
Conditions and Weather: Temperatures will be in the low to mid 90s
tomorrow, humidity 15 to 18 percent, and predicted winds out of the
west/southwest at 10 to 15 miles per hour, gusting up to 20 miles per
hour. If afternoon thunderstorms
develop in the area of the fire, winds could increase up to 50 miles per hour
and more erratic fire behavior would likely occur. This afternoon, thunderstorms developed
around Flagstaff and moved towards Prescott, but did not affect the fire area. Some crews working around open fire lines on
the northeast flank were temporarily pulled off the line in case the
thunderstorm gusts materialized.
Website: inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/
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