Ricky Fulton, Member Of Colorado Airborne Firefighting Team, Dies Fighting Wildfire in Idaho

EMMITT, ID (CBS4) - A firefighter whose operation is based in Colorado died in a plane crash while helping to battle the Schill Fire in Idaho last month. Ricky Fulton was working for an airborne firefighting unit based in Sterling.

Gov. Jared Polis announced the death at his Friday news update. The crashed happened on Sept. 22.

Fulton was part of a group battling the fire from the air when his plane crashed into a ravine. He was flying a single-engine T-857 and was on contract with the Bureau of Land Management and National Interagency Fire Center. Firefighters on scene tried to save Fulton, but were not successful. The FAA is investigating but has not yet determined a cause of the crash.

Fulton was originally from Oklahoma but started working in Sterling in April 2020 for Aero S.E.A.T, Inc.

The Schill Fire started that day in grass and brush approximately 30 miles northwest of Boise. It was contained roughly six hours later.

Fulton was 58 years old.