Colorado community prepares for wildfires with new firefighting drones

Firefighters in Colorado have been looking for new and better ways to prepare for wildfires as the fire season has extended year-round.

The Aspen Fire Department now has a new drone strike team to help combat wildfires. The fire department reports that the five drones are autonomous and equipped with sensors that enable them to avoid obstacles. They also include heat-detection and infrared capabilities.

The drones have the same capacity as a medium-sized brush truck, capable of carrying 20 gallons of water plus 80 gallons of foam.

AFD said it has been working on the plan to procure the drones all year, and they signed the contract on Thursday. Fire Chief Jacob Andersen says they expect to receive the new drones in July, but it will take time to obtain approval for flight over federal lands.

The drones can also be controlled by a pilot. During the demo in Colorado, a pilot at a controller company in California flew the drone. Andersen says the department is already training its staff to use them.

"My priority is the safety of our community here in Aspen — our residents, our visitors, our firefighters, and the unique beauty we call home," said Andersen. "Advances in semi-autonomous suppression and other wildfire technologies give us powerful new tools to make that happen. The best tools for what we do are built with firefighters in mind, and when they are, it shows. We welcome any innovation that helps us protect lives, property, and the landscape we're entrusted to defend."

The department said the drones cost between $5,000 and $6,000 each and were funded by private donors.