Firefighting helicopter crashes during Utah wildfire response

A firefighting helicopter carrying two people crashed Friday morning while helping battle a large wildfire in central Utah, federal aviation officials said, prompting an emergency response in remote terrain as crews continued to face dangerous fire conditions.

The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed the crash near Richfield, about 160 miles south of Salt Lake City. The Guardian reported the aircraft was a Sikorsky S64 helicopter. Federal and wildfire officials did not immediately provide information on the conditions of the two people aboard.

The helicopter was operating near the Widemouth 2 fire, a lightning-caused blaze that began July 27 near Kanosh in the Fishlake National Forest. By Friday morning, the fire had burned about 165 square miles, or roughly 105,000 acres, and was 19% contained. More than 600 firefighting personnel were assigned to the blaze, which has prompted evacuations and destroyed at least six structures as it burns through timber, brush and grass.

The U.S. Forest Service at Fishlake National Forest said emergency personnel were on the scene and urged the public to wait for confirmed information.

“Our top priority is responding to the incident. Local, state, and federal authorities are assisting in the response,” the agency said in a social media post. “Information will be released as soon as it is available. Please be patient as the response to this incident continues to occur and safety actions are prioritized first.”

At a Friday evening media briefing reported by The Guardian, Tyler Hecht, deputy incident commander with the Great Basin incident management team, described the crash area as “very difficult” and said rescuers “have not reached the scene of the accident,” in part because the crash had started a new fire.

Asked about the mood among firefighters, Hecht said it was “very somber with what’s going on. You know, they did take a tactical pause, regrouped, and they’re back fighting fire.”

The National Transportation Safety Board said its preliminary information indicated that “the helicopter crashed in remote terrain under unknown circumstances during firefighting operations.” The agency said investigators were expected to arrive in Richfield by Saturday night. The NTSB and FAA will investigate the crash, though federal officials said investigators may not be able to safely reach the scene immediately if wildfire activity is nearby.

Fire crews had been warned Friday morning of erratic winds, dry fuels and hot temperatures, along with the possibility of dry thunderstorms and lightning. Red flag warnings were in effect.

The Widemouth 2 fire is one of eight large active blazes burning across Utah. Together, those fires have burned more than 331,000 acres, according to the state’s wildfire dashboard.

“Wildland firefighting is among the most dangerous jobs in the world,” Utah Gov. Spencer Cox wrote in a social media post. “Today is a painful reminder of the extraordinary risks these brave men and women accept to protect us.”

Months of dry weather, record-low snow in some areas, heat and erratic winds have contributed to fires in Utah and other parts of the West. In June, four firefighters were killed and a fifth was injured after they were overcome by a fast-moving wildfire in Colorado while trying to shield themselves with emergency shelters as flames overran their position.