VIDEOS: Two helicopter pilots assigned to the Widemouth 2 Fire died after a helicopter crash, according to the Sevier County sheriff and interagency partners of the Great Basin Geographic Area.

The pilots worked for Helicopter Transport Services, a Forest Service exclusive-use contract aircraft company. Officials said the pilots’ families had been notified. Their identities have not yet been released.

A Sikorsky Skycrane helicopter carrying a pilot and a crewmember crashed at about 10:40 a.m. Aug. 7, 2026, officials said. The crash sparked a fire in the surrounding vegetation.

Utah Gov. Spencer Cox mourned the loss of the two pilots in a statement posted on social media. “Today we mourn two helicopter pilots who lost their lives while fighting the Widemouth 2 Fire,” Cox wrote.

“They put themselves in harm’s way to protect our state and gave their lives in that service. Abby and I are heartbroken. Our prayers are with their families and the entire wildland fire community.”

KJZZ-TV CBS 14 Salt Lake City

The post Two helicopter pilots die in crash while battling Widemouth 2 Fire in Utah appeared first on Daily Dispatch.

VIDEO: A Fort Bend County family’s goose may be that honking hero we all need. That goose — named Goosey — alerted his owner’s family to a fire that started in their barn earlier last week. The heroics were captured on video.  

Goosey is only about four months old, and most of the time, he keeps to himself. But early Tuesday morning, Goosey made sure his family knew something was wrong.

“I was watching TV and I conked out on the couch,” said Bert Gerber.

That’s when Goosey let out several honks in the middle of the night — a sound the family hadn’t heard before. It was all caught on their security camera. Their barn was on fire and Goosey was sounding the alarm.

“I just casually came outside and I saw a fire billowing out of there,” he said. “I grabbed a water hose and ran over there.”

He quickly put out the flames. The animals inside were somehow safe. A few more minutes, the family says, could have changed everything.

KHOU-TV CBS 11 Houston

The post Honking hero: Texas family’s pet goose alerts them to fire appeared first on Daily Dispatch.

Officials confirmed that a large wildfire burning around Lake Chelan has destroyed structures Sunday evening, and continues to grow. In an initial damage assessment Sunday, firefighters with the Entiat Fire Department and Chelan Fire and Rescue Chief Russ Jones determined that 26 structures have been burned by the Little Giant fire: two homes, three cabins and 21 outbuildings.

Additional damage could occur, responders noted: Red Flag conditions, unpredictable fire behavior, falling trees, rolling debris and other hazards pose major risks to the region. A complete picture of the scope of the damage will be created by the Chelan County Assessor’s Office as soon as conditions allow.

The Little Giant fire sparked in July when a lightning storm rolled through western Washington. It recently exploded in size to about 111,000 acres and is about 2% contained, as of Aug. 9 around 8:30 p.m.
Evacuation orders continue in the area, with Level 3 “Go Now” orders spanning regions near the main fire footprint on the south side of the lake. Level 3 orders are also in effect upslope of a small blaze that jumped the lake.
The fire in Chelan County has exploded to over 100,000 acres.

KING-TV NBC 5 Seattle

The post Little Giant fire destroys 26 structures, including 2 homes appeared first on Daily Dispatch.

VIDEO: The Wells Road Fire outside Malden has burned 1,900 acres as residents faced new evacuation orders. Residents in Malden said the fire brought back PTSD after about 80% of the town was lost in the Babb Road fire, which occured in 2020. One resident, James Jacobs, said he had already been through that loss once.

“We lost everything that we had, I mean everything, we left town with that car right there, and my dog and my wife. We had to rebuild everything, and now… to have another fire to take what we went through… I don’t know if we’ll mentally make it,” said Malden resident of 30 years, James Jacobs.

Jacobs hoped the fire would reach containment soon because he explained that he did not have it in him to rebuild everything again. The town of Malden is under Level 3 evacuations, while Rosalia is under Level 2.

KNDO-TV NBC 23 Yakima

The post Malden residents say Wells Road Fire brings back feelings of PTSD appeared first on Daily Dispatch.

The Washington State Fire Marshal’s Office reported that state firefighting resources have been mobilized to support Whitman County crews as they continue containment efforts for the Palouse River Fire. Officials reported that the fire, which first ignited at 4:30 a.m. on Saturday, has spread to an estimated size of 500 acres as it continues to grow.

“It is burning in grass, brush, timber, and is threatening homes, infrastructure, and crops,” the fire marshal’s office stated. Four wildland strike teams have reportedly been dispatched to assist crews currently battling the fire.

KNDO-TV NBC 23 Yakima

The post Palouse River Fire near Colfax prompts evacuations in Whitman County appeared first on Daily Dispatch.