Agency doesn’t expect Black Forest Fire report

“It’s clear that this was human caused,” said Black Forest Fire Chief Bob Harvey last month referring to the Black Forest Fire.

Harvey said, “It’s our duty as a fire protection district to report as accurately as we possibly can to the National Fire Protection Association which collects all the statistics for fires in the United States and Canada, what caused the fire.”

KRDO asked when Harvey anticipated sending the report to the NFPA.

“Probably going to be a couple of weeks away,” Harvey said.

That was on November 20 th . On December 4 th , KRDO contacted the NFPA to see if the report was in.

“We do not expect to receive any report about the Black Forest fire. If a report is made public, we may review it to learn what investigators discovered about the event and incorporate any lessons learned, if appropriate to our messaging,” said spokesperson Peg O’Brien by email.

O’Brien says the NFPA isn’t “a clearinghouse for such data or an investigative agency.”

In his last public comments to KRDO back in November, Harvey mentioned his report to the NFPA numerous times.

KRDO tried to clear up the confusion with Harvey and see if he indeed meant the NFPA, but interview requests were ignored.

Black Forest Fire Protection District Board Chairman Eddie Bracken says an independent investigator has been hired to look into accusations made against Harvey by other agencies. Bracken wouldn’t name the investigator, saying he will make a statement next week.