Updated: 1:29 ET, Jul 11 2021
TWO firefighters died while fighting an Arizona wildfire from the skies when their plane crashed as they performed aerial reconnaissance on the blaze.
Authorities said the crash occurred around noon on Saturday as the firefighters monitored the Cedar Basin Fire from the sky.
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The plane crash occurred as firefighters attempted to monitor the fire from above
The firefighters were acting as "eyes in the sky" for those on the ground battling the inferno, bureau spokesperson Dolores Garcia told AZ Central.
Local, state, and federal agencies are investigating the crash, but no additional details will be available until the families of the firefighters are notified, the Arizona Bureau of Land Management said in a statement.