Helicopter Crashes in Yosemite while Fighting Wildfires, Two Dead
Two crew members died Sunday when their helicopter went down fighting the Dome Fire in Yosemite National Park. The crash occurred just before 3 p.m. PT near Mariposa, California.
- The aircraft was a Eurocopter AS32 with two people aboard.
- Precision, the aerospace company operating the helicopter, confirmed both crew members were killed.
- The Dome Fire has burned more than 3,000 acres since igniting September 15.
- 15% of the fire's perimeter was contained as of Monday morning.
Why it matters: Aircraft have been a central tool in fighting the Dome Fire because steep wilderness terrain limits ground access. Losing a helicopter mid-operation directly reduces suppression capacity.
- The fire is burning near Chilnualna Falls in Yosemite's Wawona area, several miles from developed park infrastructure.
How 5 sources split on this story
Center coverage, 1 sources: The center provides the most detailed operational context, including containment definitions, road and trail closures, and the fire's proximity to Wawona.
Left coverage, 3 sources: The left covers the crash with emphasis on the human loss and the company's grief statement, while also detailing the fire's growth and the difficult conditions crews face.
Right coverage, 1 sources: The right leads with the confirmed death toll and fire acreage, keeping the report brief and focused on the immediate facts of the crash and investigation.
What’s next: The NTSB is leading the crash investigation; the FAA and Forest Service are also probing the incident.
- The identities of the two crew members had not been released as of Monday morning.
- What caused the Eurocopter AS32 to go down?
- Will the loss of the aircraft affect the pace of containment efforts on the Dome Fire?