A Tuesday brushfire sparked by the crash of a small single-engine aircraft in Rio Grande County, Colorado onto a patch of dry xeric shrubland served as an important reminder to pilots that they should exercise due caution and try to land aircraft properly during high-wind, low-humidity conditions in fire-prone regions. Or, if that proves impossible, at least direct the plane to crash into a waterway or paved surface as to avoid spreading flames onto any combustible material.
Luckily for all involved – the two occupants of the plane, who did not suffer serious injuries, and local residents, whose property was not threatened by the fire – responders were able to quickly extinguish the flames, per the Valley Courier. Yet good wildfire safety requires more than just good luck and the next pilot of a troubled aircraft should heed the warnings of the incident by simply not flying a troubled aircraft in the first place. Or crash it into a Walmart or Home Depot if available.