“They’re getting bigger, faster”: Colorado braces for what’s next after last year’s explosive wildfires

Leaders look to $24 million Firehawk helicopter, further forest thinning to combat worsening fires



By BRUCE FINLEY | bfinley@denverpost.com | The Denver Post

March 15, 2021 at 6:00 a.m.


Federal forest firefighter Ben McLane got a visceral feel for the West’s intensifying wildfire predicament when his 20-man Hotshot crew rolled into Colorado last summer and faced the lightning-sparked Pine Gulch blaze — flames racing across bone-dry land and, each day, leaping beyond containment boundaries the firefighters hacked into soil.

“You’re not going to stop megafires,” McLane said this week as increasingly arid states braced for more battles. “They’re getting bigger, faster, putting us on our heels.”

Read the full article

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

48th Annual Arizona State Fire School September 8-12, 2021

Image
    48th Annual ARIZONA STATE FIRE SCHOOL September 8 – 12, 2021   Arizona Fire Service personnel, it’s that time of year!   The Arizona State Fire School is back and  REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN!!   This year marks the  48th Annual Arizona State Fire School , which provides over 35 educational sessions from Basic Skills Training, Fire Prevention & Investigation, to Fire Leadership and is one of the best training experiences available at any venue in Arizona.   FYI –   IMPORTANT DATA UPDATE   The Arizona Center for Fire Service Excellence (AzCFSE) currently uses a database referred to as AzSTARS, which is used to track student records and course attendance. You will need an AzSTARS EIN number to register for Fire School courses. For those students with a number from our previous database (ERMA), you will continue to use that number to register for the State Fire School. If you do not know your EIN number from either the previous ERMA sy...
Read more

Updated Statewide PIO contact list and training information

  Just a quick note to share the latest contact list and training information.     1) 2025 Arizona First Responder PIO Roundtable.  DPS is proud to announce the second annual Arizona First Responder PIO Roundtable on January 23, 2025 from 8:00 - 4:00 at 2222 W. Encanto Blvd., Phoenix. PIOs and supervisors of PIOs from law enforcement agencies (from all levels - local, county, state, and federal), military, fire departments, and prosecutor offices.  This training will feature a morning session from the same speaker as last year, Steve Gregory, and an afternoon revolving around case studies and the lessons learned from those experiences as well as group conversation about what PIOs are currently seeing, changes PIOs have had to make recently, and trends PIOs are seeing right now.  Lunch will be included and space is limited.   To register  for this free event, please email AZDPS Public Information Supervisor, Sgt. Eric Andrews, at  ea...
Read more

Fire Safety Resources: October

Image
  Ideas for Fire Prevention Week This year, Fire Prevention Week (FPW) is October 3-9. “Learn the Sounds of Fire Safety™”  focuses on recognizing the different sounds safety devices make when there is a fire or carbon monoxide hazard. Knowing the unique noises, the alarm makes – beeping or chirping – means it is time to act. Use USFA’s  free resources  to help you plan for your celebrations. If FPW has snuck up on you this year, there is still time to spread the word about fire safety. Deliver  home fire escape plan grids  or  home fire safety checklists  to area restaurants. They can include them with their food deliveries. Create a Facebook Live event. A firefighter can walk children through one of  Sesame Street’s fire safety lessons  or read one of  Sparky’s stories . Provide  coloring sheets  and  Let’s Have Fun with Fire Safety  to your local schools.
Read more