WASHINGTON, DC—On July 21, 2022, a contracted wildland fire helicopter, a Boeing CH-47D, crashed into the Salmon River on Salmon-Challis National Forest. The helicopter pilots were engaged in suppression efforts on the Moose Fire 20 air miles northwest of Salmon, Idaho. Sadly, both pilots perished in the accident.

The wildland firefighting community is a tight-knit group, and when a fatality occurs, whether it's an employee, state or local government partner, or contractor, the impact is felt by all. 

The complex narrative for this accident, which captures the perspectives and experiences of individuals who responded to or witnessed the event, has now been published on the Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center website.