2 injured as B.C. Wildfire Service helicopter makes ‘forced landing’ in Pemberton

A helicopter flies by the Wesley Ridge wildfire near Cameron Lake near Coombs, B.C., Sunday, Aug. 3, 2025. (Chad Hipolito / The Canadian Press)

There are “no critical injuries” after a B.C. Wildfire Service helicopter carrying an initial attack crew made a “forced landing” while responding to a fire near Pemberton Wednesday morning, according to provincial Minister of Forests Ravi Parmar.

Parmar provided the update on the incident during a news conference in Victoria Wednesday afternoon.

The minister described the incident as an “unfolding situation” and said more information would be shared by first responders as it becomes available.

“I’m relieved to let you know that all the occupants are accounted for and there are no critical injuries,” Parmar said. “I’m grateful to all the crews for their work and, in particular, to the first responders supporting our wildland firefighters.”

Cliff Chapman, director of wildfire operations for the BCWS, told the news conference there were four people aboard the helicopter: three firefighters and the pilot.

B.C. Emergency Health Services told CTV News it dispatched two ambulances with primary care paramedics, an advanced care paramedic response unit and an air ambulance in response to the incident.

The team staged in the 2000 block of Airport road, and the patients were brought out by helicopter with the assistance of the Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre, BCEHS said.

“Paramedics provided emergency medical treatment to two patients who were transported by ground ambulance to a health-care facility in stable condition,” said paramedic public information officer Brian Twaites, in the statement.

“Two other patients did not require ambulance transport.”

Pemberton RCMP asked people to avoid Airport Road as crews responded to what they described as a “rescue incident.”

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada – which investigates rail, marine, aviation and pipeline safety incidents – told CTV News it has been contacted about Wednesday’s incident, but has not yet made a decision about whether to deploy to the site.

Initial attack crews generally include three to four people and are often the first to respond to new wildfire starts, according to the B.C. Wildfire Service.

A recent spate of hot, dry weather has worsened the wildfire situation across much of B.C., with 155 fires burning across the province as of Wednesday afternoon, and 58 of those considered out of control.

Wildfire smoke has also prompted air quality warnings across the South Coast.

Asked whether the smoke contributed to the helicopter’s forced landing, Parmar said it’s premature to speculate on what caused the incident.