BC Wildfire Service, the Transportation Safety Board of Canada, WorkSafeBC investigating incident
A helicopter pilot was hospitalized Tuesday after the aircraft crashed into a lake while fighting wildfires in B.C.'s South Cariboo region, according to a report.
The crash happened Tuesday morning during operations within the Big Bar wildfire complex, The Canadian Press reported, citing a statement from BC Wildfire Service.
The helicopter went down near 70 Mile House, where wildfire has already damaged or destroyed structures on 120 properties.
The pilot was the aircraft's only occupant and suffered minor injuries, according to the report.
No further detail on the injuries, the pilot's identity, or the helicopter operator has been released.
Investigation underway
Three bodies are investigating the crash: BC Wildfire Service, the Transportation Safety Board of Canada, and WorkSafeBC, CP reported.
No timeline has been given for when the investigations will conclude, and no preliminary findings on the crash's cause have been released.
It remains unclear whether the pilot was employed by a contracted aviation firm or by BC Wildfire Service directly, a detail likely to affect the scope of WorkSafeBC's review.
The crash occurred amid heavy fire activity in the Cariboo region, where six major wildfires were burning as of Tuesday, per CP.
Among them, the Pear Lake fire has grown to more than 1,240 square kilometres.
