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Firefighter helicopter crashes/Fighting flames kills pilot and crew member in US

2026-08-09 10:17:13Kosova&Bota SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX
Authorities said extreme fire conditions and steep terrain had made the situation difficult.

A pilot and a crew member have died after a firefighting helicopter crashed during an operation to extinguish a massive wildfire in Utah, in the United States.

The Sikorsky S-64 Skycrane helicopter, operated by Helicopter Transport Services under contract with the U.S. Forest Service, crashed around 10 a.m. local time Friday near the town of Richfield, in the Three Creeks Reservoir area southwest of the town and near the southeastern edge of the Widemouth 2 fire.

The US National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) confirmed the deaths of two crew members on Saturday, more than 24 hours after the accident. According to authorities, both victims suffered fatal injuries. The NIFC expressed its condolences to the families and friends of the victims.

Authorities said extreme fire conditions and steep terrain made the situation difficult. The bodies of the victims were found and removed from the area on Saturday. Their identities have not yet been released.

Due to the spread of the fire, authorities have ordered the evacuation of residents in endangered areas and have also imposed closures of several roads.

Deputy Commander Tyler Hecht said fire crews took a "tactical pause" after the helicopter crash to regroup and assess the situation. Firefighting operations then resumed.

Utah Governor Spencer Cox called fighting wildfires one of the most dangerous jobs in the world. On Saturday evening, the Utah Highway Patrol organized a procession to accompany the bodies of the victims, who were described by authorities as "heroes."

The Widemouth 2 Fire started on July 27 after a lightning strike ignited the flames in the Fishlake National Forest. Since then, the flames have spread to more than 111,000 acres, or about 45,000 hectares, making it one of the largest fires on record in Utah this year.

According to authorities, only about 24 percent of the fire was contained as of Saturday. The situation remains dangerous due to extreme fire behavior, including spreading fire to treetops and throwing embers over long distances, which continues to threaten communities near the affected area.

This is the second fatal wildfire-related incident in Utah this summer. In June, three firefighters died while battling wildfires in Knoules and Gore, near the Colorado border. A fourth firefighter later died from injuries sustained during the same incident.

The helicopter crash has brought attention back to the great dangers faced by firefighting teams, especially in conditions of high temperatures, difficult terrain, and the rapid and unpredictable spread of fires.


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