Helicopter crash kills pilot and crew member amid Utah wildfire battle
Summary
A firefighting helicopter crashed near Richfield, Utah, killing the pilot and one crew member while fighting the Widemouth 2 wildfire. The crash occurred in steep terrain that delayed rescue efforts, and the wildfire has already burned over 111,000 acres.Key Facts
- The helicopter was a Sikorsky S-64 ‘Skycrane’ operated by Helicopter Transport Services for the U.S. Forest Service.
- The crash happened about 10 a.m. local time near the Three Creeks Reservoir area southwest of Richfield.
- Both crew members onboard died; their names have not been released.
- Rescue teams could not reach the crash site immediately due to extreme fire and steep terrain conditions.
- The Widemouth 2 fire started on July 27 from a lightning strike and has burned more than 111,000 acres.
- Current containment of the fire is at 24 percent, with dangerous fire behaviors threatening nearby communities.
- Utah Governor Spencer Cox highlighted that wildland firefighting is one of the most dangerous jobs.
- This is the second deadly wildfire incident in Utah this summer; three firefighters died fighting other fires in June.
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