Glendale Pilot Dies In A Helicopter Crash While Working The Polles Fire Near Payson

A helicopter pilot was killed Tuesday while flying a firefighting mission near the Polles Fire burning near Payson. Fire officials say the pilot was 37-year-old Bryan Boatman of Glendale, who leaves behind a wife and eight-year-old child. The cause of the crash is under investigation. Governor Doug Ducey has ordered flags at all state buildings fly at half-staff Wednesday in honor of Bryan Boatman. Meanwhile, the fire is still burning in the woods six miles south of Pine-Strawberry. The fire has burned nearly 600 acres and there is zero-percent containment. The fire is burning in steep terrain, which requires fire crews to camp out near the fire so constant work can be done on it. Officials say the fire started last Friday at around 3 p.m. from a lightning strike. No buildings have been lost and Pine-Strawberry or Payson isn’t currently threatened by the fire.