Mariposa Honors Pilots Lost in Dome Fire Crash
First responders accompanied the pilots from Mariposa Airport to Modesto as firefighting efforts continued in Yosemite.
A procession of first responders accompanied two pilots killed while fighting Yosemite’s Dome Fire, honoring their service along a route from Mariposa Airport to Modesto.
The pilots died Sunday, September 20, when their Type 1 helicopter crashed while working on the fire. In a September 21 release, the incident management team said firefighters, law enforcement officers and other first responders from across the country gathered along the procession route to pay their respects.
The pilots have been identified as Greg King and Ryan Cutter, both employed by contract aviation company Precision. According to the Associated Press, the two were conducting water drops when their helicopter went down near Ostrander Lake. They were the only people aboard. Associated Press report
The incident management team extended condolences to the pilots’ families, friends and colleagues, as well as the Price Valley Helitack Crew. Its release said the crash remains under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board.
The tribute comes as crews continue working to contain the wildfire in Yosemite’s rugged backcountry.
As of 5:36 p.m. Tuesday, September 22, CAL FIRE’s incident page listed the Dome Fire at 3,683 acres and 15 percent containment. The fire was first reported September 15 north of Wawona Dome. Its cause remains under investigation. Official fire information
The National Park Service is also asking for information that could assist investigators examining the fire’s origin.
In a September 21 notice, Yosemite asked anyone who was on Chilnualna Falls Trail between September 9 and September 15 and witnessed someone with a campfire to contact investigators. The request seeks potential witnesses; it does not establish the fire’s cause.
Information can be submitted by calling 888-653-0009, emailing nps_isb@nps.gov, or using the National Park Service tip form. Yosemite’s public notice
For residents and visitors planning travel into Yosemite, the park provides current road, trail and fire-related information on its conditions page. Visitors should review the posted closure information before heading into the backcountry and check the AirNow Fire and Smoke Map for air-quality conditions.
The incident team has also made footage of the pilots’ return to Mariposa Airport and the procession through town available through the U.S. Forest Service’s DVIDS page.
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Feature Photo: Firefighters gather along a road in Mariposa during a September 21 procession honoring two pilots killed while fighting the Dome Fire.
Credit: Video still: Benjamin Cossel/U.S. Forest Service.