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Firefighting Plane Crashes, Injuring Pilot

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Aug 27, 2008 6:38 pm US/Mountain

Firefighting Plane Crashes, Injuring Pilot

MEEKER, Colo. (AP) ―

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A pilot has been injured after his firefighting plane crashed while he was battling one of the many lightning-caused fires in northwestern Colorado.

The single-engine air tanker went down at 3 p.m. about 20 miles northwest of Meeker.

Bureau of Land Management spokesman David Boyd says the pilot was conscious and able to move. He was flown by helicopter to a Grand Junction hospital.

His name hasn't been released. Boyd says the cause of the crash is under investigation.

The pilot was working on a small blaze called the Flat Bush fire that was reported this morning and was burning in pinyon-juniper and sage on BLM land.

BLM officials say it's one of more than 30 lightning-caused fires in northwestern Colorado.

Most are estimated at less than an acre in size.

There have been no reports of damage to the 30 gas wells in the area.

The largest is the 27,000-acre Mayberry fire on BLM and private land about 30 miles northwest of Craig. More than 75 firefighters had contained about 50 percent of the blaze.

The Prong fire, about 20 miles northwest of Craig, jumped containment lines last night and grew to 5,150 acres. Firefighters stopped its growth and are working to secure fire lines today.

The Lone fire, burning on BLM and private land about 15 miles north of Elk Springs in Moffat County, is about 75 percent contained.

It charred 950 acres.