Helicopter pilot killed in crash while fighting California wildfire

The pilot of a helicopter fighting a fire in central California was killed on Wednesday when his water-dropping aircraft crashed, authorities said.

The Bell UH-1H helicopter was on a mission on the Hills Fire, near the city of Coalinga, Fresno County, when it crashed.

The pilot was the only person aboard the aircraft and did not survive, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said in a statement. (Reporting By Andrew Hay; Editing by Sandra Maler)