VICTORIA — A helicopter carrying a wildfire response team made an emergency landing in a forested area near Pemberton, British Columbia, on Wednesday. Forests Minister Ravi Parmar expressed relief that all individuals on board were accounted for and reported no serious injuries.

The incident occurred while the crew was responding to a wildfire located south of Pemberton, approximately 150 kilometers northeast of Vancouver. Cliff Chapman, the director of provincial operations for the B.C. Wildfire Service, confirmed that the helicopter had a pilot and three wildfire staff members on board. Following the landing, all crew members were reportedly able to walk and were receiving support from extraction teams and paramedics.

Parmar noted that it is too early to speculate on the factors that may have contributed to the forced landing. "When we have more information to share around the conditions of those wildland firefighters, and of course what led to that forced landing, we’ll certainly provide that," he stated.

The Transportation Safety Board has been informed of the incident and will evaluate the next steps regarding the investigation. First-responder agencies were present at the site to assist with the situation.