The helicopter was assisting crews battling the Dome Fire.
The helicopter was assisting crews battling the Dome Fire, which has burned more than 3,000 acres in the park. The NTSB said its investigators would travel to the site when fire conditions allow and that a preliminary report is expected within 30 days. The Dome Fire, which started on September 15, has continued to spread across Yosemite. It grew by 283 acres overnight, according to the National Park Service, and was reported at more than 3,000 acres with 15% containment.
Two members of a helicopter crew were killed Sunday after their aircraft crashed while taking part in firefighting operations at Yosemite National Park in California, according to the US Forest Service. The crew had been contracted to the Forest Service’s Price Valley Rappel Crew in Idaho, while the pilots were conducting suppression operations on the Dome Fire in Yosemite, according to Forest Service spokesperson Adrienne Freeman. Fire crews have been using both ground and aerial resources to contain the blaze, with helicopters supporting firefighters through water drops, transportation and other operations.