Two pilots died Thursday after a helicopter crashed in Idaho while helping fight a wildfire, authorities said. It was the second such fatal accident in less than a week involving helicopters responding to wildfires.
The two people on board, Thomas Hayes, 41, of Post Falls, Idaho, and Jared Bird, 36, of Anchorage, Alaska, were decorated military veterans and experienced pilots who worked for ROTAK Helicopter Services, he said Traci Zimmerlee, district ranger with the Lowman Ranger District in Lowman, Idaho.
“Our firefighting community is close, so this affects us a lot,” he said.
It was the latest in a series of fatalities involving helicopters providing wildfire assistance: On Saturday, four men were killed returning to Albuquerque by helicopter after responding to a wildfire in New Mexico. And last month, the pilot of a helicopter working on a wildfire in Alaska was killed in a crash, The Anchorage Daily News reported.
Idaho pilots were operating a CH-47D Chinook to assist firefighters who had been battling the Moose Fire, which has burned more than 23,000 acres since Sunday. The Chinook crashed near Salmon, Idaho, ROTAK said. It was one of about 10 helicopters assigned to the fire, Ranger Zimmerlee said.
It’s still unclear what caused the crash, authorities said, but the National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration will investigate.
ROTAK Helicopter Services, which worked as a government contractor, said it had “voluntarily implemented a safety shutdown” and was suspending operations with its other CH-47D helicopters until further notice. Ely Woods, the company’s CEO, said officials were devastated by the deaths.
“Tommy and Jared represented the best our country has to offer,” Woods said. “Both were decorated veterans, hard workers and outstanding pilots. Our hearts go out to their families, friends and loved ones.”
On Friday, Gov. Brad Little of Idaho ordered U.S. and state flags flown at half-staff in honor of the pilots until their memorial services are held.
“Our brave firefighters face extremely difficult conditions to protect lives, property and land,” he said in a statement. “Idahoans are praying for the loved ones and colleagues of these firefighters as we mourn this tremendous loss.”