A pilot and a crewmember died when their heavy-lift helicopter crashed in remote central Utah on Friday while battling the Widemouth 2 Fire. Emergency crews have been unable to reach the wreckage because the accident site sits directly inside an active wildfire footprint.
The tragedy struck as firefighters across the western United States face a deadly season. The National Interagency Fire Center confirmed the fatalities on Saturday, noting that the aircraft was a Sikorsky S-64 helicopter under contract with the U.S. Forest Service.
Wreckage Stranded Inside Widemouth 2 Fire Perimeter
The aircraft went down at approximately 10 a.m. Friday near Richfield, according to Federal Aviation Administration officials. Sevier County Sheriff’s officials placed the crash site in the Three Creeks Reservoir area, located southwest of Richfield and near the southeast end of the Widemouth 2 Fire.
The intense blaze, which started from a lightning strike on July 27 within Fishlake National Forest near Kanosh in Millard County, has swelled to consume at least 111,000 acres, surpassing the Babylon Fire to become the state’s largest fire this year. Data indicates the footprint has even reached 114,600 acres with 24% containment.
Because the crash itself ignited new flames right where the aircraft went down, accessing the site has proven nearly impossible. Karl Hunt, a spokesman for the Utah Division of Forestry, Fire, and State Lands, explained the grim reality to reporters.
Ground resources initially attempted to mount an immediate response, but the emergent fire compromised the approach. The Incident Management Team ultimately decided against risking further lives without an established safety zone, awaiting calmer conditions before allowing search-and-rescue personnel and the state medical examiner’s office to enter.
Aircraft Details and Investigation Plans
The downed aircraft was a Sikorsky S-64—widely known as a Skycrane—which is a heavy-lift helicopter frequently deployed in wildland firefighting operations utilizing bucket or fixed tank configurations. On Friday, the Widemouth 2 Fire operation involved heavy aerial support with seven assigned helicopters, alongside 23 engines, nine dozers, nine water tenders, and a total of 632 personnel.
Federal regulators are already mobilizing to determine what led to the disaster. Investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board were en route to Richfield, a city roughly 160 miles south of Salt Lake City, to document the scene and retrieve the aircraft once safety protocols permit access.
Federal officials have cautioned against public speculation. The U.S. Forest Service emphasized that the victims deserve the highest level of respect and avoidance of speculation amid a wave of unverified reports.
Operational Resolve Amid a Somber Atmosphere
The mood among firefighting crews following the crash has been described as somber. Tyler Hecht, deputy incident commander for the Great Basin Incident Management Team 2, spoke candidly about the toll the incident has taken on personnel.
Firefighters took a brief pause after learning of the crash before returning to work. They did so fully aware of the acute threats the fire poses to nearby communities and Interstate 70.
Hecht noted that operations will persist, stating that crews will continue to fight the fire and rely on aircraft to support personnel on the ground.
Utah Governor Spencer Cox addressed the tragedy on social media, reminding the public of the hazards inherent in this line of work. Wildland firefighting is among the most dangerous jobs in the world. Today is a painful reminder of the extraordinary risks these brave men and women accept to protect us,
Cox wrote, asking residents to keep the emergency crews in their prayers.
The disaster compounds a devastating summer for emergency responders in the region. In June, four firefighters died and another was injured during a burnover incident while battling the Knowles and Gore fires near the Utah-Colorado border.
Memorial Escort and Transit Impacts
As recovery efforts take shape, authorities are preparing to honor the fallen crew with a formal procession. Law enforcement agencies and fire departments have coordinated a memorial escort to transport the crew.
The Utah Highway Patrol issued advisories warning motorists to expect slowdowns and delays. Travel disruptions are anticipated along westbound Interstate 70 and northbound Interstate 15 stretching from Cove Fort to the Utah Office of the Medical Examiner in Taylorsville, with authorities urging drivers to plan for extra travel time along the route.
