Helicopter fighting massive Utah wildfire crashes; 2 aboard unaccounted for

A helicopter engaged in firefighting efforts crashed Friday in Richfield, central Utah, amid efforts to combat a massive wildfire. The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed the crash, stating that the conditions of the two people aboard were not immediately known.

The aircraft was one of seven deployed to fight the blaze, which ignited on July 27 and has been fueled by dry conditions and erratic winds. The fire has scorched 165 square miles of timber, brush, and grass in the Fishlake National Forest, and as of Friday morning, it was only 19% contained.

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Our top priority is responding to the incident. Local, state, and federal authorities are assisting in the response. 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.

More than 600 firefighting personnel are on the ground battling the flames, which have led to evacuations and destroyed at least six structures. Emergency responders are on the scene, with local, state, and federal authorities assisting in the response. The U.S. Forest Service at Fishlake National Forest stated that information would be released as it becomes available, prioritizing safety actions.

The National Transportation Safety Board and the FAA are set to investigate the incident. The NTSB indicated that preliminary information suggests the helicopter crashed in remote terrain under unknown circumstances while engaged in firefighting operations. Investigators are expected to reach the scene by Saturday night. The crash occurs as Utah and other Western states grapple with an intense wildfire season, exacerbated by months of dry weather, low snowfall, and high temperatures.

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the helicopter crashed in remote terrain under unknown circumstances during firefighting operations.