Aspen/Pitkin County Airport to support wildfire plane refuels

Wildfire suppression is gaining a valuable resource.

Local governments announced an agreement Tuesday to allow wildfire-fighting planes to rely on the Aspen/Pitkin County Airport hydrant system this season. The intergovernmental agreement was nearly two years in the making, according to an Aspen Fire Protection District press release. 

The agreement offers single engine air trainers quicker response times refilling at the local airport rather than in Rifle, Grand Junction, or the Front Range. The tankers would be used in the initial suppression of a wildfire “when rapid response is most vital,” typically 24 to 48 hours after ignition. According to the release, most can carry between 500 and 850 gallons of water or fire retardant at a time.

The city of Aspen, Pitkin County, and the Aspen Fire Protection District signed the agreement. 

“This is a huge step forward for our region’s wildfire readiness,” Aspen Fire Deputy Chief Jake Andersen said in the release. “I am so impressed with the leadership, openness, and willingness to think outside the box shown by our partners at the city and the county.”

Each entity will uniquely contribute to the project, according to the release.

The Aspen Fire Department will purchase the necessary equipment and coordinate required training, while the Aspen Water Department will provide the water for the site. The Sardy Field Fire Department, the airport’s firefighting agency, will supply staff trained to marshal and refill air tankers. 

In the event of a large fire, “super scoopers,” which can gather water directly from Ruedi Reservoir, will be brought in following the initial response, according to the Sardy Field Fire Department.