Relatório do Acidente ocorrido no Incêndio Florestal de Yarnel Hill

• The fire was not below them. They last saw it continuing parallel and away from them.
• Taking this action would cause them to change their travel direction more to the east
then southeast.
• The Boulder Springs Ranch seemed close.
• They could see their destination and they would continue to see it as they descend. This
would give a sense of security that the destination seemed reachable.
• They would lose sight of the fire quickly as they descended toward the Ranch. However,
they would see the smoke and keep some idea what the fire is doing.
• They lost the option to head off the backside of the ridge southwest toward Highway 89.
Course of Action B2: Continue along the two-track road
• The road would permit easier travel than hiking through the brush.
• Would keep them higher on the ridge and may provide better visibility of the fire and
smoke column.
• Could keep open the option to move over the ridge, southwest toward Highway 89
allowing for a secondary escape route.
• Not the most direct route of travel to the Ranch.
• A longer route with longer hiking time would increase the time before they could
reengage on the fire, reunite with their other crewmember and vehicles, and resupply.
Course of Action B3: Go off the back side of the ridge, southwest toward Hwy 89
• Since this option had been available all along, there would need to be a compelling
reason to take this option now as opposed to doing it earlier.
• Current position was not under imminent threat from fire.
• Lighter fuels on the backside of the ridge.
• Moving away from the fire and from fire alignment with terrain.
• Consistent with normal practice in that part of country. Heading down and out is a
typical path away from fire.
• Might become stranded in a remote location, further from being relevant to an ongoing
threat.
• Would require transportation by others to return to Yarnell.
Yarnell Hill Fire Serious Accident Investigation 39