DENVER—Wyoming’s Bighorn National Forest supervisor William Bass will lead a four-person review team that will examine the prescribed burn that apparently sparked a deadly wildfire southwest of Denver.
Gov. John Hickenlooper appointed Bass Monday following calls for an independent review by Hickenlooper and Colorado State University, which oversees the Colorado State Forest Service that conducted the burn.
Bass’ team will examine the planning of the burn, procedures in place and how it was carried out. The review is expected to take about 30 days.
Bass’ review is separate from a criminal investigation into three deaths apparently caused by the fire and a possible federal review into response coordination, fire suppression efforts and communication among responders and residents.
Bass is a 37-year forest service veteran with extensive fire related experience.
