美国森林局承包的一架西科斯基S-64消防直升机周五早晨在犹他州中部坠毁，机上飞行员和一名机组成员在坠机中丧生[1]。坠机地点位于正在蔓延的Widemouth 2大火火线内，该火灾已烧毁114,600英亩，目前仅有24%得到遏制[1]。
野火的肆虐阻断了救援通道，使搜救工作受阻[1]。美国森林局在声明中表示："地面资源试图立即响应，但进入现场的通道因新发火灾而受阻。没有安全区域，事件管理团队决定在该地区被判定安全之前不冒生命危险。"[1]国家航空运输安全委员会调查人员已赶往距盐湖城约160英里的Richfield事故地点[1]。Widemouth 2火灾由7月下旬的闪电引发[1]。
A Sikorsky S-64 helicopter contracted by the U.S. Forest Service crashed Friday morning in central Utah while operating in a rapidly spreading wildfire.[1] The National Transportation Safety Board has dispatched investigators to the crash location near Richfield, approximately 160 miles from Salt Lake City.[1]
The helicopter went down within the active fire line of the Widemouth 2 fire, which has consumed 114,600 acres with 24 percent containment as of the report.[1] The U.S. Forest Service stated that ground resources attempted an immediate response, but access to the crash site has been blocked by new fire activity in the area.[1] "There are no safe areas, and the incident management team has decided not to risk lives until the area is deemed safe," the Forest Service said.[1] The wildfire was ignited by lightning in late July.[1]