Unexpected fire behavior, chronic understaffing, a lack of trained employees and a new policy to quash fires quickly were among the factors that contributed to the deaths of four helitack firefighters as they battled a blaze in western Colorado in June
The Grand Junction Daily Sentinel reported that the U.S. Department of the Interior released an investigation into a June 27 incident at the Knowles Fire in western Colorado, where four wildland firefighters died and one was injured. The Denver Post said the report cited extreme fire behavior and human error. WBOC TV reported that the investigation also identified understaffing, a lack of trained employees and a policy to put fires out quickly among contributing factors. Cedar News reported that a killed firefighter’s parents questioned the investigation but did not detail their concerns.
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