A pilot involved in tackling a wildfire in Colorado has tragically died after their aircraft crashed into a reservoir. The Gunnison County Sheriff's Office confirmed that the body of the pilot was recovered by a dive team from the Silver Jack reservoir on Sunday, following the incident.
Authorities were notified of the crash at approximately 5:17 PM local time on Sunday. The aircraft was confirmed to be participating in firefighting efforts for the Gold Mountain fire, which has been active since 27 June. This devastating loss adds to the dangers faced by emergency services battling an intense wildfire season in the American state.
As of Monday morning, the Gold Mountain fire had scorched over 35,000 acres and was 13% contained. Evacuation orders remain in place for certain areas of south-western Gunnison County. The cause of the Gold Mountain fire, which was first reported north-east of Ouray County, is currently undetermined.
The incident follows closely on the heels of another tragic event in late June, when three firefighters were killed and two others injured while responding to wildfires along the Colorado-Utah border. Colorado Governor Jared Polis recently announced that the state had secured a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grant to assist with the Gold Mountain fire response, stating he was "deeply grateful for the hardworking brave firefighters putting their lives on the line to protect us and keep our communities safe."
Colorado is currently grappling with several large wildfires. The Ferris fire in south-western Colorado had burned more than 64,000 acres and was 23% contained as of Sunday. Governor Polis verbally declared a disaster emergency for the Ferris fire on 8 July. Other significant blazes include the Willow fire, which began on 28 June and has burned 5,853 acres with 33% containment as of Sunday, and the Aspen Acres fire, which started in late June, has consumed 98,100 acres and was 35% contained as of Monday.