Public Safety director asks chiefs to bring wildfire fighting resources back to Colorado

The summer started out in Colorado with a period of relatively small wildfire activity. With that being the case, some firefighting teams were sent to help with fires in other states. Things have changed quickly this week, and there are now several destructive wildfires that are burning in the Centennial State, most with little containment. 

As a result, the executive director of the Colorado Department of Public Safety on Wednesday made a request. He called on local fire department chiefs to pull back the resources they've sent to help at out-of-state fires.

Stan Hilkey said he wants to "support that noble mission of helping our partners because our partners help us when we need it."

"But I also think that as opportunity arises, and with the weather patterns that we're going to have the rest of the summer, I'd feel a lot more comfortable if we had some of the resources back in the state as well to help us with the long term. impacts," Hilkey said.

Conditions are currently exceptionally hot and dry in Colorado, and the country's climate prediction experts say there's a good chance for below normal rainfall in the state through much of the rest of the summer.

"I call upon the chiefs of the fire departments in the state to think about bringing those assets back when it's most soon practical for them because the state of Colorado needs those assets here as well," Hilkey said.

On Wednesday morning the Quarry Fire was threatening subdivisions in Jefferson County. Officials in that county were initially put on hold when they asked for more firefighting resources.

Through the day, the situation improved and Quarry Fire managers got more aerial resources, including helicopters and planes to help douse the flames.

Managers of the Quarry Fire as well as three other fires on Colorado's Front Range know they are not just fighting fires, but also for thin firefighting resources.

The federal government says right now there are 95 large fires being suppressed across the country. There are 10 new large fires, and more than 2 million acres have burned. The National Interagency Coordination Center in Idaho is turning down requests every day for more aerial resources. As quickly as they turn them down, more requests pour in.

That's partly because of major blazes like the Park Fire in Northern California which has burned nearly 400,000 acres and multiple fires throughout Oregon.

"We're competing with other states at the moment," Hilkey said, referring to the federal firefighting resources that are available.