Pilots of helicopter that crashed while fighting wildfire in Utah are dead, officials say

Two helicopter pilots were killed when their Sikorsky Skycrane helicopter crashed Friday morning while battling a wildfire in Utah's Fishlake National Forest. Officials confirmed their deaths on Saturday after crews were able to access the crash site.

The crash also sparked a new fire that merged with the existing blaze, expanding the total area burned to nearly 174 square miles. The pilots were employed by Helicopter Transport Services, a company contracted by the U.S. Forest Service. Their identities have not yet been released.

The National Transportation Safety Board is expected to investigate the incident, though it may take a year or more to determine the cause. Meanwhile, other parts of the Western United States are also grappling with significant wildfires. In Washington, a fire near Mount Rainier National Park forced the closure of certain areas, while larger blazes near Spokane continue to burn.

In Oregon, a wildfire has spread across more than 30 square miles, tragically claiming the life of bulldozer operator Jason Ensign, who was working for a timber company. Separately, in British Columbia, Canada, over 20,000 people have been evacuated due to a fast-moving wildfire.