Wildfires continued to devastate parts of North America and Europe on Saturday, with a helicopter crash killing two people during firefighting operations in the western United States, thousands evacuated in Canada’s British Columbia and hundreds of firefighters battling a major blaze in Spain.
In central Utah, a helicopter supporting efforts to contain the Widemouth 2 Fire crashed near Richfield on Friday, killing the pilot and one crew member. The US National Interagency Fire Centre said the helicopter was operating under contract with the US Forest Service. The Federal Aviation Administration identified it as a Sikorsky S-64, and the National Transportation Safety Board is leading the investigation. Preliminary information indicated that the helicopter went down in remote terrain under unknown circumstances during firefighting operations.
Officials said fire activity and rugged terrain initially prevented crews from reaching the wreckage. The crash also ignited, complicating access and raising safety concerns for rescuers.
The Widemouth 2 Fire began on July 27 after lightning ignited dry vegetation in the Fishlake National Forest near Kanosh. Officials said it has since burnt more than 461km², destroyed at least six structures and was 24% contained.
In Canada, British Columbia declared a state of emergency on Saturday as the fast-moving Bald Range wildfire forced more than 20 000 people to evacuate.
The blaze expanded to about 9 500ha, prompting evacuation orders in Summerland, Peachland and other districts west of Okanagan Lake in the province’s southern interior.
Premier David Eby told a news conference on Saturday that one fire official had likened the fire to “a bomb going off”, warning that the fire had created its own weather system and that conditions were changing rapidly. Homes and properties have been destroyed, while officials warned that the situation remained dynamic and threatening.
Many residents fled overnight, with some driving to nearby cities before roads closed. Summerland lost power on Saturday and issued a boil-water advisory after wildfire conditions disrupted its water system.
Across British Columbia, about 1 500 firefighters were battling more than 100 wildfires. Other Canadian provinces, including Ontario and Quebec, have also battled blazes this year as hot, dry weather fuelled wildfires in densely forested areas. Firefighters from Mexico, Australia, France and New Zealand have helped combat the fires.
The Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre said fires have burnt through four million hectares in Canada this year.
In Spain, more than 275 firefighters battled a challenging wildfire in the southern Andalusia region on Saturday, with flames active across an area of around 4 000ha.
The regional fire service said 60 troops belonging to a military emergency unit were among the 275 firefighters, assisted by some 20 aircraft and heavy machinery.
Spain is enduring a tough summer for wildfires, with various blazes having forced thousands of people to evacuate. A forest inferno that raged in July in the Avila region near Madrid was considered the biggest Spain had seen in recent history.
Early in July, another sweeping blaze caused 14 deaths in Almeria Province in Andalusia.
Scientists have linked intensifying heatwaves and drought conditions across Europe to human-driven climate change, which is increasing wildfire risks.
- A Sikorsky S-64 helicopter crashed during firefighting operations in central Utah's Widemouth 2 Fire, killing the pilot and one crew member.
- British Columbia declared a state of emergency as the Bald Range wildfire forced over 20,000 people to evacuate and expanded to about 9,500 hectares.
- Approximately 1,500 firefighters in British Columbia are battling more than 100 wildfires, with assistance from international crews from Mexico, Australia, France, and New Zealand.
- In Spain, over 275 firefighters, including 60 military emergency troops, are combating a wildfire covering around 4,000 hectares in the Andalusia region.
- Canada has experienced fires burning through four million hectares this year, while Spain faces historic wildfire challenges linked to heatwaves and drought conditions driven by climate change.
