DENVER — Earlier this week, we heard from Next viewer Thom, who asked “why aren’t we able to utilize the National Guard for forest fires?”
We couldn’t get to it right away, but as promised, here’s the answer … and it’s a good one. The Colorado National Guard is already helping, and could be asked to do more if conditions warrant it.
A Colorado National Guard spokesperson said that the governor is responsible for calling them into service, like he did with the COVID-19 pandemic.
On Friday, a news release said Polis has indeed asked for the Colorado National Guard's help with wildfires.
At this point, the Colorado National Guard is planning to help assist with traffic control points for the Cameron Peak Fire, which is currently burning 60 miles west of Fort Collins near Poudre Canyon. That will involve 30 guard members, the release says.
In addition, a helicopter will be available out of Gypsum to provide search and rescue as needed, and additional aircraft could be available if it’s requested.
As 9NEWS previously reported, a national guard helicopter was used to airlift a backpacker who became stranded during the Cameron Peak Fire.
According to Caley Fisher, the spokesperson for the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control, decisions about what to ask for is made at a tactical level within incident command for a given fire.
“It all depends on what happens with the fires and if they are needed,” Fisher wrote in an email to 9NEWS.
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The National Guard has helped with Colorado wildfires before, including the Spring and 416 fires that burned in southern Colorado in 2018.
The Colorado National Guard was also deployed to help during the Black Forest Fire of 2013, as well as the large High Park Fire in 2012, and countless other blazes to name.
It’s worth mentioning that if more Colorado National Guard troops are called for the wildfires, they won’t be taken away from COVID-19 response.
Those are completely different incidents, the spokesperson said.
The Colorado National Guard has helped with proactive novel coronavirus testing at nursing homes since the pandemic began.
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