Helicopter Crashes Battling Utah Wildfire; Oregon Fire Kills Operator

A heavy-lift helicopter battling a Utah wildfire crashed with two on board, whose conditions are unknown due to the inaccessibility of the crash site. Separately, a 47-year-old bulldozer operator, Jason Ensign, died in an uncontained Oregon wildfire that showed unexpected rapid growth, burning nearly 14 square miles with no containment.

The helicopter, a Sikorsky S-64 Skycrane, was one of seven fighting a central Utah fire caused by lightning on July 27. It crashed near Richfield, Utah, about 160 miles south of Salt Lake City, according to the FAA. The cause of the crash is under investigation by the NTSB and FAA, but access is delayed due to the ongoing wildfire.

In Oregon, the Wrights Spring fire, which started Wednesday east of Chiloquin, killed Ensign when it cut off his escape route due to rapid, unexpected growth. The fire has burned almost 14 square miles with no containment, aided by extremely hot and dry weather.

Utah’s Fishlake National Forest fire near Kanosh has grown to 165 square miles, with 19% containment, prompting evacuations and destroying at least six structures. Over 600 personnel are battling the blaze.

The region’s dry weather, lack of snow, and erratic winds have exacerbated the wildfires across Utah and the Western U.S.