Two dead after helicopter crashes fighting Yosemite fires in California, FAA says

The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed Monday that two people died while fighting fires in California’s Yosemite National Park after their helicopter crashed in Mariposa County. The two died Sunday afternoon while battling the Dome fire, which started last Tuesday near Wawona Dome inside Yosemite National Park, activating over 500 crisis responders. The FAA said one passenger and one crew member on board were killed after the helicopter “crashed under unknown circumstances while on water bucket drops.” Recommended Stories The Federal Complex Incident Management Team, which is overseeing the firefighting response, said two helicopter pilots were conducting water drops as part of a wildland firefighting crew that specializes in using ropes to descend from helicopters to reach otherwise inaccessible terrain. They were helitack rappelling when the aircraft went down southeast of Ostrander Lake, FCIMT told the Associated Press, and were the only two people aboard the helicopter. Authorities have identified one of those who died as Greg King, a “dedicated aviator” from Alaska. “King, a pilot for Precision Helicopters, a contract helicopter company … was a cherished member of our wildland fire family, having served on wildland fires in Alaska and extensively alongside the Division of Forestry & Fire Protection,” the Alaska Division of Forestry & Fire Protection told Fox 26 in a statement. “Greg was a dedicated aviator and a dear friend to many of us. We are mourning both pilots who bravely supported firefighting efforts, and our hearts go out to their families.“Firefighting contractor FlyPrecision confirmed two team members died battling the Dome fire.This photo provided by the National Park Service shows the Dome fire burning in Yosemite National Park on Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026. (National Park Service via AP) NEWSOM ENTERS AI POLITICAL FIRESTORM WITH ‘KILL SWITCH’ EXECUTIVE ORDER“It is with unimaginable sadness and broken hearts that we share the loss of two beloved members of our team,” the company wrote in a post on Instagram. “We are devastated by this loss and are struggling to find the words.”The Alaska Department of Natural Resources said the cause of the crash remains under investigation by the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board.