Photo: Oregon National Guard | CC BY 4.0 | Wikimedia Commons
Two Pilots Confirmed Dead After Firefighting Helicopter Crash At Utah Wildfire
Two pilots were confirmed dead after a Sikorsky Skycrane firefighting helicopter crashed while battling a lightning-caused wildfire near Richfield, Utah, on Friday, August 7, 2026.[1]
Officials said both pilots, employed by Helicopter Transport Services under contract with the U.S. Forest Service, died at the scene after the crash ignited a new blaze that merged with the existing wildfire.[1] Preliminary NTSB information said the helicopter crashed in remote terrain under unknown circumstances, and investigators were expected to arrive in Richfield by Saturday night.[2]
The fire began July 27 after lightning and grew into the Widemouth 2 Fire, which officials said had burned more than 118,000 acres and was about 27% contained as of Sunday, August 9.[3] State officials said close to a dozen active wildfires had burned more than 300,000 acres across Utah and prompted evacuations.[3]
Early coverage on Friday said there was no word on the two people aboard the helicopter.[2] By Saturday, crews reached the remote wreckage and authorities confirmed both pilots were killed, and the NTSB warned a full investigation may take a year or more.[1] The crash came as dozens of large fires burned across the western U.S. and western Canada, stretching crews and resources.[4]
Show source details & analysis (5 sources)
📌 Key Facts
- A Sikorsky Skycrane helicopter crashed while fighting a lightning-caused wildfire near Richfield, Utah, on Friday, August 7, 2026, during operations on a fire that began July 27 (Richfield, Utah).
- Officials confirmed on Saturday, August 8, 2026, that both pilots aboard the aircraft were killed; the pilots were employed by Helicopter Transport Services under contract with the U.S. Forest Service and their names have not yet been released (Helicopter Transport Services).
- Crews initially could not access the remote crash site because of active fire behavior but reached the area on Saturday and confirmed the fatalities, according to the Sevier County sheriff and coroner (Sevier County sheriff and coroner).
- The crash ignited a new blaze that merged with the existing wildfire, expanding the incident area (existing wildfire).
- As of Sunday, August 9, 2026, the Widemouth 2 Fire had burned more than 118,000 acres and was about 27% contained, making it the largest fire in Utah that year (Widemouth 2 Fire).
- The National Transportation Safety Board said preliminary information shows the helicopter crashed in remote terrain under unknown circumstances, and investigators were expected to arrive in Richfield by Saturday night, August 8, 2026 (National Transportation Safety Board).
- Officials warned the NTSB's full investigation may take a year or more to determine the cause of the crash (full investigation).
- The crash occurred amid a wider regional crisis: Utah officials reported close to a dozen active wildfires had burned more than 300,000 acres statewide with evacuations in multiple areas, while the western U.S. and Canada faced dozens of large fires (close to a dozen active wildfires).
📰 Source Timeline (5)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
August 10, 2026
1:02 PM
Wildfires rage, force evacuations in western U.S., Canada amid drought
New information:
- The Widemouth 2 Fire in Utah, where the helicopter crashed on Friday, August 7, 2026, has now burned more than 100,000 acres.
- CBS describes the Utah helicopter incident within a wider context of more than 40 large wildfires burning in the western U.S. and over 100 in western Canada, underscoring the regional scale of the crisis.
August 09, 2026
10:03 PM
Crews battle wildfires in western U.S. and Canada
New information:
- As of Sunday, August 9, 2026, the Widemouth 2 Fire in Utah’s Fishlake National Forest has burned more than 118,000 acres and is 27% contained, making it the largest fire in the state this year and surpassing the Babylon Fire’s 107,000+ acres.
- Utah officials report close to a dozen active wildfires statewide have burned more than 300,000 acres as of Sunday evening, with evacuations in place in multiple areas.
- The Rocky Canyon Fire about 30 miles northeast of Salt Lake City began Friday, August 7, 2026, has grown to over 2,800 acres and remains 0% contained, prompting evacuations in Morgan County.
- Across the U.S., the National Interagency Fire Center reported on Sunday, August 9, that there have been 183 new fires, including eight large ones, since Saturday, with more than 30,000 personnel and 640-plus crews assigned to over 94 large fires nationwide.
- In Oregon, officials identified the bulldozer operator killed on the Wrights Spring Fire as Jason Ensign; that fire has burned more than 33,000 acres and was 0% contained as of Sunday afternoon.
- In Washington’s Spokane area, at least 60,000 people have been evacuated as fires have burned over 10,000 acres, though local officials said Sunday that crews have made "exceptional progress" on containment.
- British Columbia’s Bald Range wildfire has triggered a provincial state of emergency and evacuations of more than 20,000 people, with over 100 active wildfires in the province and authorities warning of more lightning-caused starts in hot, dry conditions.
3:47 PM
Pilots of helicopter that crashed while fighting wildfire in Utah are dead, officials say
New information:
- On Friday morning, August 7, 2026, the Sikorsky Skycrane helicopter that crashed while fighting a wildfire in Utah's Fishlake National Forest was confirmed on Saturday, August 8, to have killed both pilots aboard.
- Officials said the two pilots, employed by Helicopter Transport Services under contract with the U.S. Forest Service, died at the scene; their names have not yet been released.
- Authorities said the crash itself ignited a new blaze that merged with the existing wildfire, which has now burned nearly 174 square miles.
- Crews were initially unable to access the crash site because of active fire behavior but reached the area on Saturday and confirmed the fatalities, according to the Sevier County sheriff and coroner.
- The National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the crash once its team can safely examine the wreckage, and officials said it may take a year or more to determine the cause.
August 07, 2026
11:35 PM
Helicopter fighting massive Utah wildfire crashes, no word on 2 people aboard
New information:
- Article confirms the crash occurred Friday, August 7, 2026, near Richfield, Utah, about 160 miles south of Salt Lake City, during operations on a lightning-caused fire that started July 27.
- The National Transportation Safety Board said preliminary information shows the helicopter crashed in remote terrain under unknown circumstances during firefighting operations and that investigators are expected to arrive in Richfield by Saturday night, August 8, 2026.
- The Fishlake National Forest said emergency personnel are on scene and emphasized that local, state, and federal authorities are assisting, with safety prioritized before further information is released.
- The wildfire near Kanosh on Fishlake National Forest has grown to about 165 square miles and is 19% contained as of Friday morning, with more than 600 personnel assigned, at least six structures destroyed, and evacuations in place.
- Utah’s wildfire dashboard reports eight large active blazes burning across more than 331,000 acres statewide as of Friday, August 7, 2026.
- The article notes Red Flag warnings Friday for erratic winds, dry fuels, hot temperatures, and potential dry thunderstorms and lightning, and cites recent firefighter fatalities in a June Colorado wildfire as broader context.