Utah helicopter crash kills pilot and crew member

A pilot and a crew member were killed when their firefighting helicopter crashed in central Utah on Friday, the National Interagency Fire Center confirmed Saturday. The Sikorsky S-64 Skycrane operated by Helicopter Transport Services went down around 10 a.m. local time near Richfield, close to the Three Creeks Reservoir and the southeastern edge of the Widemouth 2 fire. Extreme terrain and fire behavior kept rescue crews from reaching the wreckage for more than 24 hours, but the bodies were recovered Saturday. The agency did not release the victims’ names.

Utah is in the grip of a brutal wildfire season, and Friday’s crash is the state’s second fatal incident in two months. In June, three firefighters died battling the Knowles and Gore fires near the Colorado border; a fourth succumbed weeks later to injuries from that blaze. The Widemouth 2 fire started July 27 after a lightning strike in Fishlake National Forest and has since scorched more than 111,000 acres—already the largest wildfire in Utah this year. Officials said containment stood at just 24 percent Saturday as crews face extreme fire behavior including crowning and long-range spotting that threaten nearby communities.

The crash site’s steep terrain and heavy smoke forced a tactical pause while investigators and recovery teams worked through the weekend. Deputy incident commander Tyler Hecht said crews resumed firefighting once the wreckage was secured, vowing “we’re going to continue to fight fire and utilize aircraft to support our firefighters on the ground.” Governor Spencer Cox called wildland firefighting “among the most dangerous jobs in the world” and urged Utahns to keep the fallen crew “in your prayers.” The Utah Highway Patrol organized a procession Saturday evening to escort the remains of the two men.

With containment still low and the Widemouth 2 blaze threatening more homes, the loss of two air crews underscores the rising toll of wildfires in the West. Federal and state agencies are reviewing safety protocols and aircraft operations, but for now the focus remains on protecting communities and battling the stubborn flames.