A pilot has died after an aircraft involved in fighting the Gold Mountain Fire in Colorado crashed into Silver Jack Reservoir on Sunday evening, according to the Gunnison County Sheriff’s Office.
The aircraft went down at about 5:17 p.m. in southwestern Gunnison County, northeast of Ouray. Officials said the aircraft had been assigned to firefighting operations on the Gold Mountain Fire and that the pilot was believed to be the only person on board.
A dive team from the Montrose County Sheriff’s Office later recovered a body from the reservoir. The body was being taken to the Gunnison County Coroner’s Office, and officials said the pilot’s identity would not be released until next of kin had been notified.
Authorities did not immediately identify the type of aircraft involved in the crash. Silver Jack Reservoir is located in the Uncompahgre National Forest and is less than 20 miles from both Ouray and Ridgway.
The Gold Mountain Fire began on June 27 about two miles north of Ouray. By Sunday, it had burned more than 35,600 acres and remained only partially contained, with more than 1,000 personnel assigned to the response.
Fire managers had recently launched strategic firing operations from Pinnacle Peak toward Silver Jack Reservoir to help create a containment line by burning available fuel back toward the main fire.
Mandatory evacuations remained in place for some areas of Ouray and Gunnison counties north, east and northeast of the fire, although officials said no evacuations were in effect within Ouray city limits. The cause of the wildfire has not been determined.
The death adds to a difficult wildfire season for crews in Colorado, coming just over two weeks after three federal firefighters were killed while battling the Snyder Fire near the Utah border.
