What happened
During an afternoon mission, a helicopter departed from Marseille-Marignane Airport to assist with an active forest fire located in the Taradeau region. The aircraft was part of a large-scale aerial response that included two other helicopters, two Tracker aircraft, and five Canadair CL-415 units all deployed to the same incident area.
As the pilot maneuvered toward the site of the blaze, the aircraft experienced a momentary loss of visual contact with the terrain below. During this period of obscured visibility, the helicopter struck trees, resulting in a crash that caused the airframe to ignite. The impact led to the total destruction of the aircraft by fire. The pilot was able to exit the wreckage and sustained minor injuries during the event.