Finishing Touches Put On New Truck To Battle High Country Fires
BRECKENRIDGE, Colo. (CBS4) - Just in time for wildfire season, firefighters in Summit County are adding to their fleet to battle wildland fires.
Summit Fire and EMS is putting the finishing touches on their brand new Type-6 engine, which will be known as Wildland 1 and stationed out at Copper Mountain. Another similar truck is also being added in the coming weeks.
"We ramped up several weeks early this year, we've already been to some of the Denver fires. The season appears to be starting early with the love snow pack," said Summit Fire & EMS Chief Jeff Berino.
This replaces aging, hard-used vehicles in the fleet. They are built to allow several firefighters to live out of them for two weeks, so that if mutual aid from elsewhere in the state is required the crews can assist.
The additions come as firefighters are busy training and going out to help homeowners prepare their properties to mitigate against wildfire.
Last summer's Peak 2 Fire forced dozens of people from their homes near Breckenridge and served as a major wakeup call for people living in the area.
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), the deadliest (Storm King) and largest wildfire (Hayman) in Colorado history.
Matt Kroschel covers news throughout Colorado working from the CBS4 Mountain Newsroom. Send story ideas to mrkroschel@cbs.com and connect with him on Twitter @Matt_Kroschel.