A pilot has died after an aircraft assisting in the fight against a Colorado wildfire crashed into the Silver Jack Reservoir on Sunday, authorities confirmed.
The Gunnison County sheriff’s office announced online that the pilot’s body was recovered by divers from the reservoir.
The individual, believed to be the only occupant, was engaged in operations against the Gold Mountain Fire, a blaze that has been active for two weeks in southwestern Colorado.
The fire has expanded to approximately 57 square miles (148 square kilometers) and was only 13% contained as of Monday morning.
An inquiry for further details regarding the crash has been sent to the Federal Aviation Administration.
Last week, wildland firefighters in Colorado gathered to pay tribute to three of their own who died after they were trapped by flames on the Colorado-Utah border.
Emily Barker, Nick Hutcherson and Sydney Watson were remembered by colleagues as courageous public servants who left a lasting impact on the communities where they worked.
“They showed up to make order out of chaos day after day with purpose, dedication and heart,” U.S. Wildland Fire Service Chief Brian Fennessy said during a memorial service in Grand Junction, Colorado, near where the firefighters died.
The western United States continues to battle numerous large wildfires, with significant blazes active across Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, and eight other states stretching from Alaska to Arizona.
The National Weather Service has warned that prolonged hot and dry conditions this week will heighten fire weather concerns across the region.
