A contract pilot assisting with a Colorado wildfire crashed into a reservoir Sunday, killing him, authorities said. The Gunnison County Sheriff’s Office identified the pilot as 56-year-old Nicholas Dale of Sooke, British Columbia.
Divers recovered Dale’s body from the Silver Jack Reservoir. A procession of law enforcement vehicles carried his body from Gunnison to Grand Junction on Monday, where residents gathered to show support for Dale and the firefighters battling blazes across the Western United States. Colorado Governor Jared Polis announced that state flags would be flown at half-staff when a memorial service is scheduled for Dale, who is survived by his wife and two children.
The Federal Aviation Administration reported the aircraft, a Kaman Aerospace K-1200 helicopter, crashed under unknown circumstances and became inverted. Helicopter Express, the Georgia-based company that owns the aircraft and specializes in firefighting, heavy lifting, and construction, confirmed Dale’s death in a statement Monday. The company described Dale as a dedicated and professional pilot.
The pilot was the sole occupant of the helicopter and was assisting efforts against the Gold Mountain Fire in southwestern Colorado. The fire had grown to approximately 57 square miles (148 square kilometers) and was 11% contained as of Monday. The National Transportation Safety Board will lead the investigation into the crash.
Wildland firefighters in Colorado recently gathered to honor three colleagues who died after being trapped by flames on the Colorado-Utah border. Multiple large wildfires continue to burn across Colorado, Utah, and New Mexico, with additional fires reported in eight other states, including Alaska and Arizona. The National Weather Service has forecast continued hot and dry conditions, raising concerns about fire weather.