Oso mudslide: Natural disaster or man-made mistake?

Mary Bruno

Mary Bruno Jul 7, 2025

Feb 6, 2018

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                <h1>Oso mudslide: Natural disaster or man-made mistake?</h1>
                <h2><p>As we approach the one-year anniversary of the deadly mudslide (March 22), the Everett Herald reports that the legal battle over who, if anyone, should be held responsible for the death and devastation continues to rage.

Also, Travis Hots, the fire chief at Snohomish County Fire Districts 21 and 22,</p></h2>
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               <p>By <a href="/author/mary-bruno-crosscut-com/">Mary Bruno</a></p> 
              <p><time datetime="2025-02-04T05:00:00-08:00">Feb 6, 2018</time></p>
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            <figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://dev.cascadepbs.org/content/images/sites/default/files/images/article/gallery/aerial_view_of_oso_mudslide_mary_bruno.jpg" class="kg-image" alt="Aerial" loading="lazy" width="300" height="199"></figure><p>As we approach the one-year anniversary of the deadly mudslide (March 22), the <a href="http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20150315/NEWS01/150319477/Was-Oso-mudslide-natures-mystery-or-mans-mistake?ref=dev.cascadepbs.org">Everett Herald reports</a> that the legal battle over who, if anyone, should be held responsible for the death and devastation continues to rage.</p><p>Also, Travis Hots, the fire chief at Snohomish County Fire Districts 21 and 22, who stepped in front of the cameras to deliver two press briefings a day during that awful first week after the mudslide — and then didn't talk about the experience for months afterward — opens up to <a href="http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20150315/NEWS01/150319475/During-Oso-mudslide-chaos-and-despair-Travis-Hots-was-a-trusted-voice?ref=dev.cascadepbs.org">Herald reporters Diana Hefley and Rikki King</a>.</p>
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As we approach the one-year anniversary of the deadly mudslide (March 22), the Everett Herald reports that the legal battle over who, if anyone, should be held responsible for the death and devastation continues to rage.

Also, Travis Hots, the fire chief at Snohomish County Fire Districts 21 and 22, who stepped in front of the cameras to deliver two press briefings a day during that awful first week after the mudslide — and then didn't talk about the experience for months afterward — opens up to Herald reporters Diana Hefley and Rikki King.

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By Mary Bruno

Mary was Crosscut's Editor-in-Chief and Interim Publisher. In more than 25 years as a journalist, she has worked as a writer, editor and editorial director for a variety of print and web publications,