Colorado firefighting resources stretched thin by several wildfires

DENVER (KDVR) — Several wildfires were burning thousands of acres along the Front Range on Wednesday. With dozens of agencies and hundreds of firefighters fighting the flames, Colorado’s firefighting resources are spread thin.

There are four wildfires threatening homes on the Front Range:

• Alexander Mountain Fire in Larimer County: 6,840 acres and 0% contained as of 2:40 p.m.
• Stone Canyon Fire in Boulder County: 1,580 acres and 0% contained as of 1:45 p.m.
• Quarry Fire in Jefferson County: Around 200 acres Wednesday morning.
• A fourth wildfire sparked near Gross Reservoir in Boulder County on Wednesday afternoon, prompting more mandatory evacuations

In a press conference Wednesday afternoon, Jefferson County Sheriff’s spokesperson Mark Techmeyer said hundreds of Colorado’s professional firefighters have been deployed to other states to help fight other fires, stretching resources thin for local fires.

“This morning, we were not that hopeful,” Techmeyer said. “Resources are very, very slim right now for fighting fires. We have 600 professional firefighters that live in Colorado that are out of state, that have been deployed to other big fires in the country.”

Some Colorado firefighters working out-of-state

For example, the Colorado Springs Fire Department has sent three firefighters to assist in the Quarry Fire, three in Mesa Verde National Park, four in the Alexander Mountain fire, one in Idaho and two in Oregon. Evergreen Fire Rescue and the Arvada Fire Protection District are just some of the other agencies with crews in California and Oregon.

There were 270 firefighters at the Alexander Mountain Fire, 70 to 80 at the Quarry Fire and over 120 at the Stone Canyon Fire, as well as multiple aircraft assisting with each.

“Resources are slim. And then you’ve got to compete for the air resources that are working the two larger fires in this. We feel very fortunate and are grateful for the air support, it will make all the difference in the world. As I said this terrain is not conducive to ground-fighting the fire. I don’t know how successful we would be, even with all the great efforts these firefighters do in these conditions,” Techmeyer said.

Techmeyer said there is hope that fire retardant from a big tanker and additional responding crews in the air will help improve conditions Wednesday.

Techmeyer said resources were stretched thin a few hours before a fourth wildfire popped up in Boulder County.

According to the National Interagency Fire Center, some 28,000 wildland firefighters and support personnel are working to battle the dozens of wildfires across the country.

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