Pilot and crew member killed in helicopter crash battling Utah's Widemouth 2 wildfire
A firefighting helicopter crashed near Richfield, Utah on Friday while battling the Widemouth 2 fire, killing the pilot and one crew member. The crash site was overrun by flames, delaying recovery for over 24 hours.
The crash
A Sikorsky S-64 Skycrane helicopter operated by Helicopter Transport Services under contract with the US Forest Service went down at approximately 10am local time on Friday near Richfield, Utah, while battling the Widemouth 2 fire. The crash occurred in the Three Creeks Reservoir area, close to the southeastern edge of the fire, in Sevier County. The impact ignited a new blaze, and the crash site fell within the fire's perimeter, making access impossible for rescue teams. Sevier County sheriff Nathan Curtis said there were no escape routes for firefighters to get in or out of the area. The US Forest Service wrote that ground resources attempted to respond immediately, but access was compromised by the emergent fire, and without a safety zone the Incident Management Team determined not to place lives at risk.
Confirmation and recovery
For more than 24 hours, the fate of the pilot and crew member remained unknown. The National Interagency Fire Center confirmed in its Saturday daily bulletin that the two were "fatally injured." Bodies were recovered on Saturday. The names of the deceased have not been released. The US Forest Service declined to confirm their status, writing that there had already been many false reports and rumors, and that the victims deserved the highest level of respect and avoidance of speculation. A moment of silence was observed at a Saturday morning briefing. The Utah Highway Patrol organized a procession Saturday evening to escort the remains of the crew.
The Widemouth 2 fire
The fire ignited from a lightning strike on July 27 in Fishlake National Forest. As of Saturday, it had burned more than 111,000 acres (45,000 hectares) according to Al Jazeera, while The Guardian reported more than 114,600 acres (46,400 hectares), citing state data. The Guardian noted that early Friday the fire's scope was reported at more than 105,000 acres. Containment was listed at 24 percent on Saturday. Officials described extreme fire behavior including crowning and long-range spotting still threatening nearby communities. The NIFC issued evacuations for residents and imposed road closures.
- Widemouth 2 fire ignites from a lightning strike in Fishlake National Forest
- Sikorsky S-64 Skycrane helicopter crashes near Richfield while battling the fire
- Crash site overrun by fire; authorities confirm new blaze ignited by the wreck
- NIFC confirms pilot and crew member fatally injured; bodies recovered
- Utah Highway Patrol procession escorts remains of the fallen crew
Response and investigation
Deputy incident commander Tyler Hecht said crews took a "tactical pause" to regroup after the crash before resuming firefighting work.
It's not going to change how we operate. We're going to continue to fight fire and utilize aircraft to support our firefighters on the ground.
Investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board traveled to the area but were waiting for fire conditions to improve before reaching the crash site. NTSB spokeswoman Sarah Taylor Sulick confirmed investigators were en route. Federal officials advised the public to refrain from speculating on the cause of the crash.
A deadly season
This is Utah's second fatal wildfire incident this summer. In June, three firefighters died battling the Knowles and Gore fires near the Colorado border, and a fourth later died from injuries sustained in the incident. On Thursday, a bulldozer operator was killed in a southern Oregon fire. Utah Governor Spencer Cox called wildland firefighting "among the most dangerous jobs in the world" and said Friday was a painful reminder of the extraordinary risks these men and women accept to protect us.
