EDMONTON, Alberta — A helicopter pilot was killed in a crash in western Canada within the third dying in current days linked with efforts to struggle fires within the nation’s worst wildfire season on file.
The pilot was the only occupant of the helicopter when it crashed Wednesday close to Haig Lake in northwestern Alberta province and forestry staff had been unable to resuscitate him, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police mentioned. He was declared {dead} at a close-by airport.
Police mentioned the pilot was a 41-year-old man from Whitecourt, Alberta, however didn’t launch his identify.
“There are lots of people throughout this nation who’ve been stepping up throughout these very, very troublesome forest fires, defending their households, defending their communities, defending their fellow residents,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau mentioned. “And to have misplaced three firefighters, or people serving to out in preventing the fires, is heartbreaking.”
Final week, Devyn Gale, a 19-year-old firefighter, died after a tree fell on her close to Revelstoke, British Columbia
Adam Yeadon, 25, died Saturday whereas preventing a wildfire close to his dwelling in Fort Liard, Northwest Territories.
Transportation Security Board spokesman Chris Krepski mentioned two investigators had been as a consequence of arrive on the distant scene of the helicopter crash on Thursday.
He mentioned an emergency locator transmitter sign was obtained Wednesday at about 6 p.m. He mentioned the downed plane was in a marshy space.
Krepski added that it was operated by Valhalla Helicopters, based mostly in West Kelowna, British Columbia. The corporate declined to remark.
As of Thursday afternoon, Alberta had 117 energetic wildfires, 17 of which had been thought of uncontrolled.
Hundreds of fires have scorched greater than 42,000 sq. miles (110,000 sq. kilometers) throughout the nation to date this season.