Fundraisers are underway for two helicopter pilots who worked on wildland fires in Lincoln County this summer and died recently in a helicopter crash in Yosemite National Park.

The tragic news was shared locally on the Eureka Montana Community Bulletin Board Facebook page by a fellow pilot. 

According to a GoFundMe Facebook post, pilots Ryan Cutter, 46, and Greg King, 56, were helping fight the Dome Fire in Yosemite when they were killed Sept. 20 in a helicopter crash.

Both men were returned home Tuesday, Sept. 29, Cutter to Park City, Utah and King to Palmer, Alaska.

Funeral services were held Oct. 3 for King. Services for Cutter are scheduled for Oct. 24 in Park City, Utah, and Nov. 14 in New Hampshire where he is originally from.

According to a Eureka Montana Community Bulletin Board Facebook page post, the men were helping fight the Skillet Fire near Eureka, the Williams Fire in Libby near Kootenai Falls along and several other fires that were never named because the pilots quickly extinguished them.

Cutter shared a video on his Instagram page https://www.instagram.com/p/DbhqZi3DRMF/?img_index=1 of the work King and he did on the Skillet Fire, surgically dropping hundreds of gallons of water on the blaze on Aug. 1 that was in danger of tree torching.

The Skillet Fire was discovered July 29. The lightning-caused fire, located northwest of Tally Lake, burned more than 3,000 acres in Lincoln and Flathead counties. 

According to a statement from the U.S. Forest Service, both men worked for Fly Precision, working as an Exclusive Use helicopter for the Payette National Forest. They were assigned to the Price Valley Rappel Crew, working out of New Meadows, Idaho.

Payette National Forest officials expressed their feelings in a statement regarding their deaths.

“This news weighs heavily for our firefighters assigned to this aircraft, those working on the fire, as well as the overall wildland firefighting community and our agency,” officials said. “We want to emphasize our gratitude for the diligence of the first responders who prioritized the safe recovery of the pilots from the scene and the effort to bring them home quickly.”

According to a Sept. 22 story on kutv.com, both men were doing water bucket drops near Ostrander Lake. 

The financial support on the GoFundMe page https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-nina-find-comfort-with-her-family-nearby? for both pilots has been nothing short of remarkable. For Cutter, who leaves behind a wife, the goal was to raise $10,000 to help her family travel to be with her.

As of Oct. 6, more than $87,000 was achieved in the campaign.

Tuesday, Utah Fire Wire posted on its Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=28652295637762217, the touching arrival of Cutter to Heber Airport in Utah where his family welcomed him home.

An honor procession of U.S. Forest Service, state, Wildland Fire Service, Park City Fire and police, Wasatch County Fire and Sheriff, Summit County Sheriff, Heber Police, Utah Highway Patrol and other agencies escorted them home as a helicopter carried the American flag.

On the U.S. Forest Service - Stanislaus National Forest Facebook page, the agency shared the emotional honor procession https://www.facebook.com/reel/1071520089111487 of King and Cutter as they were taken from Modesto Fire Station 8, their resting place for the last several days, before boarding aircraft destined for home.

“Our deepest condolences go out to the King and Cutter families in this time as well as all of the Wildland Fire community,” officials stated. “A special thank you to the Modesto Fire Department, which truly stepped up to provide everything needed for Greg and Ryan and all members of the wildland fire community while preparations were made for a dignified transfer home.”

King immigrated from New Zealand and lived in Alaska. According to his GoFundMe page https://www.gofundme.com/f/greg-kings-family?, King was a married father of two girls.

The fundraiser was created to support his wife and daughters through the difficult months and years ahead. 

“In the immediate future, the funds will help give them the time and financial freedom they need to grieve, process their loss and return to Greg’s home country of New Zealand to honor and farewell him,” wrote fundraiser organizer Matthew Dean. “Looking further ahead, we hope to provide the girls with financial support toward their future education.”

As of Oct. 6, more than $105,000 was raised.