Knowles Fire: Investigators release 95-page report on Colorado wildfire that killed Glendale firefighter
Report details wildfire that killed Glendale firefighter
A new federal report from the U.S. Department of the Interior reveals new details about the firefighters killed while battling the Knowles Fire in western Colorado over the summer. FOX 10's Annalisa Pardo reports.
GLENDALE, Ariz. - A new federal report is revealing new details about firefighters killed during the battle against a wildfire in Colorado over the summer.
The U.S. Department of the Interior released the findings of its investigation. The report does not assign blame, but it identified several factors that contributed to the firefighters’ deaths.
Arizona Firefighter Killed:
Nick Hutcherson, who was from Glendale and was working on a two-week assignment, along with Emily Barker and Sydney Watson, were killed on June 27 while battling the Knowles Fire in western Colorado. Nathan Matthews later died from his injuries on July 24. A fifth member of the team survived and continues to recover.
Body of Arizona firefighter who died while battling Utah-Colorado wildfire returns home
The body of Nick Hutcherson, a 27-year-old Glendale resident, was flown into north Phoenix's Deer Valley Airport on July 2, following his tragic death while battling a wildfire on the Utah-Colorado border.
The 95-page serious accident investigation says a helicopter had been called in to pick up the firefighters, and they were told to leave their gear. A little more than 20 minutes later, a radio call said the helicopter could no longer land. Just nine seconds later, one of the crew reported they were deploying their shelters.
The survivor told investigators he held the shelter against the wind for 48 minutes while breathing into a small hole dug into the ground.
The report concludes that a combination of extreme fire behavior, strained communications, and incomplete situational awareness of where crews were contributed to the tragedy. The report found that no single decision or system failure fully explains the outcome.
What they're saying:
The Hutcherson family released a statement on the report saying they believe Nick’s death resulted from preventable failures of leadership and oversight.
"Nothing will bring Nick back. So the people who can prevent another family from living through this pain have a responsibility to act. We want Nick’s memory to help bring other firefighters home," the family said in part.
Nick Hutcherson (Hutcherson Family)
Big picture view:
The Department of the Interior says the goal of its findings is to improve safety and help firefighters recognize and prevent similar tragedies in the future.
The Source: Information in this report was gathered from the U.S. Department of the Interior serious accident investigation report; a statement from the Hutcherson family; and previous FOX 10 reports on the Knowles Fire.