Air tanker fighting Oregon fire reported missing Thursday

( NewsNation ) — A single-engine air tanker from the Bureau of Land Management was reported missing Thursday afternoon while it was fighting a fire in Oregon’s Malheur National Forest.

Authorities received the report around 6:53 p.m, Thomas Kyle-Milward, spokesperson for Northwest Incident Management Team 8, said. The pilot was the only person on board, according to the Associated Press.

Lightning started the blaze, which was in the vicinity of the Falls Fire, one of multiple happenings in Oregon, according to an official Facebook page created by government officials to update people on it.

“The dangers of fighting fires are constant and this developing news story from Eastern Oregon is a painful reminder of that fact,” U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., said, sharing a story from the Central Oregon Daily News on X. He encouraged people to for a positive outcome.

Search efforts began immediately and will continue on Friday, officials said.

As of Friday morning, the Falls Fire was 140422 acres, and 55% contained, according to InciWeb .

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

This story is developing. Refresh for updates.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NewsNation.