The ongoing fight to contain Australia’s massive wildfires claimed the lives of three American firefighters who crashed in a remote area in New South Wales on Thursday while flying an air tanker that had been used to battle California wildfires.
The C-130 Hercules was based in California last year, where it was used to train CAL FIRE crews. It also was deployed to fight the Kincade Fire in Sonoma County and other conflagrations.
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This year, however, the jet tanker was contracted to the New South Wales Rural Fire Service for the Australian fire season. It was owned by Coulson Aviation, a family-owned Canadian company.
In a statement, Coulson said the C-130 departed from Richmond, New South Wales, with a “load of fire retardant and was on a firebombing mission” at the time of the crash. On Thursday it also identified the three victims as Capt. Ian H. McBeth, 44, of Great Falls, Mont.; 1st Officer Paul Clyde Hudson, 42, of Buckeye, Ariz.; and flight engineer Rick DeMorgan Jr., 43, of Navarro, Fla.
In a statement released Thursday afternoon, Gov. Newsom said that he and his wife Jennifer Siebel “extend our sincere condolences to the families of the crew, their friends and loved ones, and our own CAL FIRE family who worked, fought fires, and trained with the crew of Tanker 134.”
The release from the governor’s office included an expression of sympathy from CAL FIRE Chief Thom Porter.
“Our heartfelt condolences go out to the family, friends, and colleagues of the crew from Tanker 134 that were lost during a tragic crash while battling the devastating Australia fires,” Porter said. “CAL FIRE stands with you during this difficult time.”
Australia’s Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack said on Twitter that the firefighting community “across the world will be devastated by this tragedy.”
“Sincere condolences to the families, friends & colleagues of 3 US residents killed in a C-130 air tanker crash near Cooma today,” McCormack tweeted.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau said it planned to deploy investigators to the crash site to collect evidence, analyze any “recorded data,” review weather information and interview witnesses. Investigators expect to release a preliminary report of their findings within the next 30 days, bureau officials said, but could release information to the “relevant stakeholders” if they find critical safety issues during their investigation.
Coulson Aviation will also send a team to “assist in emergency operations,” according to the aviation company.
The lives lost in Thursday’s crash bring the death toll in Australia’s four-month series of fires to at least 33. Since the blazes began in earnest in September, upward of 25 million acres have burned.
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