Kathmandu— A pilot and a crew member were killed Friday morning when their firefighting helicopter crashed near Richfield, Utah, while battling the Widemouth 2 wildfire. The Sikorsky S-64 Skycrane, operated by Helicopter Transport Services under contract with the United States Forest Service, went down around 10 a.m. local time near the Three Creeks Reservoir area on the southeastern edge of the blaze.

Recovery Efforts and Difficult Conditions

The National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) confirmed the deaths on Saturday, noting that the two crew members were fatally injured. Recovery of the bodies was delayed by extreme fire conditions and steep terrain, which prevented rescue teams from reaching the wreckage immediately following the crash.

While the bodies were recovered on Saturday, the identities of the deceased have not yet been released. In response to the ongoing fire, the NIFC has issued evacuation orders for local residents and implemented road closures in the affected area.

Wildfire Scale and Containment Challenges

The Widemouth 2 fire, which ignited from a lightning strike in Fishlake National Forest on July 27, has burned more than 111,000 acres. The scale of the blaze puts it on track to become the largest wildfire in Utah this year.

As of Saturday, containment for the fire stood at 24 percent. Officials warned that extreme fire behavior, including crowning and long-range spotting, continues to pose a significant threat to nearby communities.

Response and Tributes

Following the crash, firefighting crews took a tactical pause to regroup before resuming operations. Deputy incident commander Tyler Hecht stated that the incident would not alter the mission, noting, "It’s not going to change how we operate. We’re going to continue to fight fire and utilize aircraft to support our firefighters on the ground."

Utah Governor Spencer Cox remarked that wildland firefighting is "among the most dangerous jobs in the world" and requested that residents keep the crew in their prayers. On Saturday evening, the Utah Highway Patrol organized a procession to escort the remains of the fallen crew members.

This incident marks Utah's second fatal wildfire-related event this summer, following the deaths of four firefighters during the Knowles and Gore fires in June.

(With inputs from Al Jazeera)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.