UPDATE | July 13, 1:11 p.m. — The pilot who lost his life while fighting the Gold Mountain Fire on Sunday has been identified as Nicholas Dale, 56, of Sooke, British Columbia, the Gunnison County Sheriff's Office said on Monday.
He was flying a K-MAX helicopter when it crashed into Silver Jack Reservoir on Sunday. He was the only person in the aircraft. His body was recovered from the submerged helicopter Sunday evening, the sheriff's office said.
The Delta County Sheriff's Office held a procession on Monday in honor of the fallen firefighting pilot.
"His courage and sacrifice for our communities and public lands will never be forgotten," the sheriff's office said.
The National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration are investigating this crash.
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis said flags will fly at half-staff on Dale's memorial date to honor him.
"I was devastated to hear that Nicholas Dale, a brave frontline fire aviation pilot, died battling the Gold Mountain Fire," Polis said in a statement. "I, and every Coloradan, am deeply grateful for the thousands of brave firefighters and pilots across the state protecting us and our communities. My heart goes out to the pilot’s friends, family, and colleagues who mourn this immense loss. We are committed to supporting our brave firefighters and their families, and the State stands ready to support any investigation into this tragic incident. Once selected, state flags will be ordered to fly at half-staff on Nicholas’s memorial date to honor his bravery and sacrifice,” said Governor Polis.
GUNNISON COUNTY, Colo. — A pilot fighting the Gold Mountain Fire died after an aircraft crashed into a Gunnison County reservoir on Sunday, according to the local sheriff's office.
At 5:17 p.m. on Sunday, the Gunnison Regional Communications Center received a report that an aircraft had gone down in the Silver Jack Reservoir in the southwest part of the county, the Gunnison County Sheriff's Office said.
The aircraft was part of the firefighting effort with the Gold Mountain Fire, Gunnison County Sheriff Adam Murdie confirmed.
In an update at 10:30 p.m. Sunday, the sheriff's office said the Montrose County Sheriff's Office Dive Team recovered the body of the pilot from the aircraft. The person will not be publicly identified until next of kin is notified.
The body was transported to the Gunnison County Coroner's Office.
The cause of the incident is unknown.
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Silver Jack Reservoir is about 12 miles northeast of Ridgway and 15 miles northeast of Ouray. The lake covers nearly 300 acres.
Denver7 is working to determine what type of aircraft was involved. Airtankers and helicopters have been working around the fire since it first sparked on June 27.
The Gold Mountain Fire has burned more than 35,000 acres as of Sunday evening, according to the incident management team. Watch Duty is reporting that containment increased Sunday from 5% to 13%.
Silver Jack Reservoir is about 12 miles northeast of Ridgway and 15 miles northeast of Ouray. The lake covers nearly 300 acres.
"The Montrose County Sheriff's Office dive team along with multiple additional resources, including the Gunnison County Sheriff’s Office Investigations Division, are currently at the scene to assist," the Gunnison County Sheriff's Office said.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
