Two killed in helicopter crash fighting wildfire in US state of Utah

Two people, including a pilot and crew member, were killed when a contracted Sikorsky S-64 helicopter crashed while supporting firefighting operations on Utah’s Widemouth 2 Fire. The wildfire has burned over 114,000 acres, destroyed structures, forced evacuations and remains partially contained

Los Angeles:  Two people were killed when a helicopter crashed while supporting firefighting efforts on a massive wildfire in central Utah, authorities confirmed Saturday (local time), as crews continued to battle one of the state’s largest wildfires of the year and assess when responders could safely reach the remote crash site.

The US National Interagency Fire Center said the helicopter under contract with the US Forest Service was involved in an accident on the Widemouth 2 Fire, killing the pilot and one crew member. Their names had not been released.

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The Federal Aviation Administration said the aircraft, a Sikorsky S-64, crashed near Richfield at about 10 a.m. local time Friday, reports Xinhua news agency. The National Transportation Safety Board is leading the investigation.

Preliminary information indicated the helicopter went down in remote terrain under unknown circumstances during firefighting operations. Local officials said fire activity and rugged terrain initially prevented crews from reaching the wreckage.

Fire officials said the crash also ignited new flames, further complicating access and raising safety concerns for rescuers. Utah Gov Spencer Cox said the crash underscored the danger of wildland firefighting.

“Wildland firefighting is among the most dangerous jobs in the world,” Cox said in a statement. “Today is a painful reminder of the extraordinary risks these brave men and women accept to protect us,” he said, asking residents to give investigators and emergency responders time and space as the response continued.

The Widemouth 2 Fire started on July 27 after lightning ignited dry timber, brush and grass on the Fishlake National Forest near Kanosh, a small community in central Utah. The fire expanded rapidly during a stretch of dry weather, hot temperatures and erratic winds, forcing evacuations and damaging property.

Officials said at least six structures had been destroyed. The wildfire has burned more than 114,000 acres (about 461 square kilometers) and is 24 per cent contained to date, according to Utah Fire Info, an interagency public information resource on wildfires in the state.