Forestry Division releases official report on Yarnell Hill fire

PHOENIX — In a report released Saturday detailing an in-depth investigation of the Yarnell Hill fire that killed 19 firefighters, the Arizona State Forestry Division found there was inadequate radio communication with the fire crew for more than 30 minutes on June 30.

The investigation team assigned to the case could not find much direct information from the 30-minute blackout period, but was able to identify the Granite Mountain Hotshots’ actions and decisions prior to that time, as detailed in the report.

The fire started in the afternoon on June 28 in a boulder field west of Yarnell, Ariz., with steep terrain and no vehicle access; it was ignited by lightning strikes it and began at about one-half acre in size. The Hotshots team was not sent to the area until early on June 30.