August 7, 2026 / 7:35 PM EDT
/ CBS/AP
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A helicopter helping battle a large Utah wildfire crashed Friday, with no immediate word on the conditions of the two people aboard, federal officials said. The helicopter was one of seven working a fire in central Utah that was caused by lightning on July 27. The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed that the helicopter crashed in Richfield, which is about 160 miles south of Salt Lake City. Officials in Sevier and Millard counties did not immediately respond to questions about the crash, and the FAA and wildfire officials didn't have information on the conditions of the two people who were on board.The U.S. Forest Service at Fishlake National Forest said in a post on social media that emergency personnel were on the scene. "Our top priority is responding to the incident. Local, state, and federal authorities are assisting in the response," it said. "Information will be released as soon as it is available. Please be patient as the response to this incident continues to occur and safety actions are prioritized first."The National Transportation Safety Board and FAA will investigate, but they may not be able to safely reach the scene immediately if the wildfire is burning nearby.The NTSB said its preliminary information is that "the helicopter crashed in remote terrain under unknown circumstances during firefighting operations." The agency said its investigators are expected to arrive in Richfield by Saturday night.
