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Firefighters Prepare For Mountain Wildfires

SUMMIT COUNTY, Colo. (CBS4)- Firefighters in Summit County prepared for wildfires in the rough, mountain terrain with a training exercise on Thursday.

The 911 page sounded just like a real alert for a wildfire and crews responded as if it was a real emergency.

WILDFIRE EXERCISE
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Crews set up containment lines and prepared for any surprises that might come with wildfires.

"We want to overwhelm our guys so that we know how to ramp up and get more resources out here," said Lake Dillon Fire Rescue firefighter Steve Lepsher.

WILDFIRE EXERCISE  (1)
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The training exercise was designed to prepare fire crews for the real thing.

"The whole practice is getting us thinking about those things," said Lepsher.

During Thursday's training, it started to rain.

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"There is a certain amount of irony that we're doing the wildfire drill in the rain. The rain is wonderful and it's coming at a perfect time," said Lepsher.

Wildfire Resources

- Visit CBSDenver.com's Living With Wildfire section.

Wildfire Photo Galleries

- See images from the most destructive wildfires (Black Forest, Waldo Canyon, High Park and Fourmile) and largest wildfire (Hayman) in Colorado history.

WILDFIRE EXERCISE  (3)
(credit: CBS)
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