Contractor dies in accident at scene of California wildfire

WILLOWS, Calif. – A contractor doing repair work at the scene of the largest wildfire in California’s recorded history has died in a vehicle accident.

The U.S. Forest Service said Monday that the accident was discovered on Saturday at the Ranch Fire in Mendocino National Forest, north of San Francisco.

The driver who died was assigned to fire suppression repair work. Other details weren’t immediately released.

The cause of the accident is under investigation.

The Ranch fire was one of two side-by-side blazes dubbed the Mendocino Complex. The fires erupted in July and burned more than 700 square miles (1,813 sq. km.) of grass, brush and timber before they were contained.

The fires killed a Utah firefighter, destroyed 157 homes and forced thousands of people to evacuate.