EDMONTON— NWT Fire has confirmed that the three individuals on board a plane responding to a North West Territories wildfire are dead after the aircraft crashed on Wednesday. "With profound sadness, we confirm that three people lost their lives in the Bird Dog aircraft crash west of Fort Simpson," reads a NWT Fire Facebook post. The crash happened around 7:30 p.m., roughly 50 km from Fort Simpson, west of Yellowknife, as the crew travelled to help fight an out-of-control wildfire that began after a lightning strike on June 10. NWT Fire said officials confirmed the deaths on Thursday after responders arrived at the crash site. ."Our organization is grieving alongside the families, friends, colleagues, and the broader wildfire community as we process this unthinkable loss," the NWT Fire post reads. The three deceased were flying in a small single-engine Bird Dog used to transport responders. NWT Fire said they will honour the lives of the deceased at a later and appropriate time, and in line with their families’ wishes. "Our immediate focus is on supporting the families, friends, colleagues, and fire personnel affected by this tragedy," the post reads. "Across wildfire operations, the safety and well-being of our people must come first as our small, interconnected fire family begins to process this loss..The agency said, in the wake of the tragedy, Critical Incident Stress Management Teams are being deployed to numerous bases to offer support.The Transit Safety Board of Canada, the RCMP, and the Coroner are investigating the accident.
