Two helicopter pilots who crashed while fighting a wildfire in Utah are dead, officials confirmed Saturday. The pilots were killed when their Sikorsky Skycrane helicopter went down Friday morning, according to the Sevier County Sheriff.
The helicopter was among those fighting a fire in the Fishlake National Forest. The crash ignited a new fire that spread to connect with the existing blaze, which has now scorched nearly 174 square miles.
Officials did not identify the pilots but said they were employed by Helicopter Transport Services, which was contracted by the U.S. Forest Service. The National Transportation Safety Board will investigate once its team can examine the wreckage.
Meanwhile, numerous fires are burning in other parts of the West, including one that closed part of Mount Rainier National Park in Washington, and another in Oregon that has spread beyond 30 square miles.
Original reporting: 40/29 / KHBS (NW Arkansas) — read the source article.
