Colorado blazes followed by fire detection questions
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The Quarry fire in Jefferson County on Aug. 1. Photo: Courtesy of Jefferson County Sheriff's Office
The four simultaneous August blazes on the Front Range showcased Colorado's new wildfire-fighting power, a $30 million helicopter that can drop 1,000 gallons of water at a time.
What they're saying: "We're in a much stronger position," Gov. Jared Polis said touting the helicopter at a briefing just miles from where the Alexander Mountain fire burned.
- The governor also noted that a second Firehawk helicopter is set to debut next summer.
Yes, but: Others say the priority for spending should be fire detection first.
- "We need to do something differently. There are too many people now in Colorado not to have that early detection," Jenny Coll told KUNC as she sat in a shelter after evacuating the Alexander Mountain fire.
State of play: Colorado lawmakers have repeatedly bypassed spending money on early detection systems in recent years, while prioritizing the expensive helicopter fleet as more impactful.
- Meanwhile, other Western states are investing in artificial intelligence systems, heat sensors and cameras to spot fires.
By the numbers: Colorado has spent $109.2 million on wildfire response legislation in the last five years but only $42.3 million on preparedness, a recent legislative memo finds.
Between the lines: A program run by the National Guard is Colorado's main defense against wildfires. It detected 75 fires last year, KUNC reports, though only about 10-15% came before 911 calls reporting the blazes.
- The little-known satellite-based FireGuard system is rife with problems, firefighters say, notably that it can't see through clouds, and it's not utilized by some fire departments.
What they're saying: While touring an evacuation center near the Alexander Mountain fire, state Rep. Judy Amabile (D-Boulder) expressed interest in prioritizing detection systems.
- "I haven't spent a deep dive on that, and I think if it works and it's cost-effective, yeah, we should probably do that," she told KUNC.
What we're watching: Colorado's legislative panel overseeing wildfire response will meet Tuesday.