Wildland Firefighting
We work hard to provide quality aviation support on large fires and rapid initial attack on emerging incidents anywhere, any time. Dry lightning frequently rakes over the Pike National Forest during the summer months, and when somebody spots a smoke we'll be off the ground in less than ten minutes. Being able to size-up the fire from the sky is a huge tactical advantage, giving us the edge when we get boots on the ground.
Our crewmembers' backgrounds are as varied as Colorado's fuel types; from grasslands, oak brush and timber all the way up to subalpine conifers. If you are a student of fire, Colorado is the place to study! Firefighters come to Monument with experience from all points in the fire world; hotshots, engines and rappellers to name a few.
Traditionally Monument has hosted a type three helicopter, necessary for navigating the mountain terrain and high altitudes of the Rockies. With this versatile helitack platform we can be on scene rapidly, deploy our firefighters and be off for the next load of helitack while the fire is still in its early stages. Rapid initial attack in remote locations is what we train for, and we aspire to be the best in the business.
Our crewmembers' backgrounds are as varied as Colorado's fuel types; from grasslands, oak brush and timber all the way up to subalpine conifers. If you are a student of fire, Colorado is the place to study! Firefighters come to Monument with experience from all points in the fire world; hotshots, engines and rappellers to name a few.
Traditionally Monument has hosted a type three helicopter, necessary for navigating the mountain terrain and high altitudes of the Rockies. With this versatile helitack platform we can be on scene rapidly, deploy our firefighters and be off for the next load of helitack while the fire is still in its early stages. Rapid initial attack in remote locations is what we train for, and we aspire to be the best in the business.
Urban Interface
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Uncontrolled wildfire can be particularly challenging in the wildland-urban interface (WUI), areas where development is close to or within areas of flammable vegetation where high potential for wildland fire exists. Understanding fuels, topography and paying close attention to fire weather are crucial in firefighting and require even more attention when it comes to WUI fires. We often work alongside engine crews, handcrews and structure fire resources to hold valuable ground in the challenging world of WUI fires.
As Colorado's population grows, so do the urban interface challenges. We train to respond accordingly, providing a valuable service to the residents of our home state and anywhere else we can put down the skids. |
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A season with the crew...
After selections have been made, we'll set the new folks up in the barracks and get down to business. The first thing on our mind is training; new information for some and refresher for others. We spend a couple weeks alternating between classroom and field exercises, preparing for the dog days of summer. Certifying our firefighters in aviation operations and honing fireline skills is the name of the game. We'll freshen up on chainsaw work, first aid, helicopter crewmember skills, hit the trails for PT on a daily basis and make sure our new folks have the ability to get the job done when the dispatch comes in.
Fire season arrives quickly in Colorado; May is no stranger to fires all across the state. Colorado has been in the grip of a drought for a few years so when it warms up there isn't much time to shake off the rust. Lightning busts are frequent on the Pike and surrounding area, keeping us on our toes and allowing us the opportunity to engage fires in all of Colorado's varied fuel types. In the last few years we have experienced a high fire load locally in the spring and in the fall, and we fill in the gaps with time on the road. When the rains come to Colorado, usually about July, we load up the chase trucks and head out to wherever the smoke shows. We might find ourselves hiking the fireline in Montana, New Mexico, Wyoming, South Dakota or just about anywhere else.
The demand for type 3 helicopters is high, and most seasons don't offer much downtime for the crew. The versatility of a type 3 helicopter with a ten-person module is a valuable resource for fire management, providing an array of services. Reconnaissance and detection flights, troop shuttles, water delivery, supply runs, aerial ignition and of course: delivery of helitack firefighters. There are some out there who think helitack firefighters stick around at the helispot all summer; they are mistaken! When the helibase personnel slots are full, we hit the line. First and foremost we are firefighters, and the beauty of this job is in the versatility of the crew.
After the monsoons depart our base territory we often find ourselves home again, chasing new starts back on the front range or assisting in prescribed fire operations. Crewmembers might also find themselves out on single resource assignments such as running a type 1 helicopter, boosting another helitack crew or filling in with the hotshots or a handcrew. In late September the clock starts to slow down, and we will finally have a chance to look back on another season. We might have a few crewmembers jump in on late-season NWCG classes or help out with winterizing our equipment and the helibase.
Fire season arrives quickly in Colorado; May is no stranger to fires all across the state. Colorado has been in the grip of a drought for a few years so when it warms up there isn't much time to shake off the rust. Lightning busts are frequent on the Pike and surrounding area, keeping us on our toes and allowing us the opportunity to engage fires in all of Colorado's varied fuel types. In the last few years we have experienced a high fire load locally in the spring and in the fall, and we fill in the gaps with time on the road. When the rains come to Colorado, usually about July, we load up the chase trucks and head out to wherever the smoke shows. We might find ourselves hiking the fireline in Montana, New Mexico, Wyoming, South Dakota or just about anywhere else.
The demand for type 3 helicopters is high, and most seasons don't offer much downtime for the crew. The versatility of a type 3 helicopter with a ten-person module is a valuable resource for fire management, providing an array of services. Reconnaissance and detection flights, troop shuttles, water delivery, supply runs, aerial ignition and of course: delivery of helitack firefighters. There are some out there who think helitack firefighters stick around at the helispot all summer; they are mistaken! When the helibase personnel slots are full, we hit the line. First and foremost we are firefighters, and the beauty of this job is in the versatility of the crew.
After the monsoons depart our base territory we often find ourselves home again, chasing new starts back on the front range or assisting in prescribed fire operations. Crewmembers might also find themselves out on single resource assignments such as running a type 1 helicopter, boosting another helitack crew or filling in with the hotshots or a handcrew. In late September the clock starts to slow down, and we will finally have a chance to look back on another season. We might have a few crewmembers jump in on late-season NWCG classes or help out with winterizing our equipment and the helibase.