Utah wildfire: Helicopter crashes with two onboard while battling blaze

A Sikorsky S-64 Skycrane helicopter crashed on Friday while fighting a wildfire in central Utah, officials confirmed. Two individuals were aboard the aircraft, but their condition remains unknown as emergency crews have been unable to access the wreckage due to the intense flames.

The helicopter, known for its heavy-lift capabilities and use in firefighting, went down near Richfield, approximately 160 miles south of Salt Lake City. It was one of seven aircraft deployed to combat a lightning-sparked blaze in the Fishlake National Forest. The crash occurred in steep terrain and, according to reports, sparked a secondary fire.

Firefighting operations were temporarily halted after the crash but have since resumed. Officials stated that flying conditions were suitable at the time of the incident. The National Transportation Safety Board and the FAA are expected to lead the investigation into the cause of the crash.

Meanwhile, the Utah wildfire itself has grown to about 165 square miles and is only 19 percent contained. Over 600 firefighters are battling the blaze, which has led to evacuations and destroyed at least six structures. Fire crews are contending with dry vegetation, high temperatures, and unpredictable winds, conditions exacerbated by months of dry weather and heatwaves across the Western U.S.

In a separate incident, a 47-year-old bulldozer operator, Jason Ensign, was killed on Thursday by a rapidly spreading wildfire in Oregon. He was operating a dozer for a timber company when his escape route was cut off by the Wrights Spring fire.

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We didn't want to put them at bigger risk.