A Rancho Cucamonga man was identified Thursday as the pilot of a helicopter that crashed while battling a wildfire in Fresno County the previous day.
Michael John Fournier, 52, was piloting the Bell UH-1H helicopter when it went down south of Coalinga on Wednesday morning, according to the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office.
Fournier was the only person on board.
The aircraft, which was contracted through an outside company, had been making water drops on the Hills Fire, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
The crash sparked another blaze, which merged with the Hills Fire and made it difficult for search and rescue crews to recover the body, according to KTLA sister station KSEE in Fresno. Rugged terrain, along with triple-digit heat and wind, added to the challenge of accessing the remote area.
Fournier’s body was recovered later that night, after a search that lasted more than six hours. An American flag was draped over the body, KSEE reported.
A GoFundMe account has been set up to help the the family of Fournier, who leaves behind a wife and two daughters.
The Hills Fire is one of hundreds of wildfires burning across California this week, many of which were ignited or fueled by wild weather amid an extreme heat wave. It erupted last Saturday and has charred at least 1,500 acres as of Thursday morning.
More than 450 personnel have been assigned to the blaze, which is 35% contained, according to Cal Fire.
The National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the cause of the deadly crash, with assistance from Cal Fire, officials said.
