Settlement Talks Continue in Arizona Wildfire Wrongful Death Case

Parties in a wrongful-death lawsuit stemming from the 2013 Yarnell Hill Fire say they need more time to discuss a settlement.

Lawyers for the sides told a U.S. District Court judge on Friday that they’re working in good faith to resolve the case. They requested that it be put on hold until May 27.

The families of a dozen Granite Mountain Hotshots sued Arizona public agencies last year, seeking a definitive answer on what caused the deaths of 19 members of the crew. The lawsuit also seeks damages for funeral costs, pain and suffering, and lost income.

The lawyers say they expect to reconvene settlement talks next month. They say talks have been complicated by a separate but related case that imposed fines and citations on the state Forestry Division.