CENTENNIAL, Colo. – After a winter marked by record-low snowpack and persistent drought, the Colorado Army National Guard is shifting its focus from a seasonal schedule to a year-round mission to fight the state’s growing wildfire threat.
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis and state officials reported during a March 30 news conference that this past winter’s lack of moisture has left Colorado’s forests and grasslands dangerously dry and ready to burn much earlier than usual.
These conditions are no longer rare events, said Mike Morgan, director of the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention & Control, during a recent news conference.
“These are conditions that we used to think were unprecedented or anomalies, and the reality of it is it’s happening every year,” Morgan said. “It is not unprecedented. It is our new normal.”
To prepare for this reality, the Colorado Army National Guard recently joined the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention & Control, the U.S. Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the city of Longmont and local fire teams from Boulder for the annual Colorado Fire Aviation Summit. The Colorado Army National Guard’s firefighting program is fully certified by the U.S. Forest Service, providing professional-grade, federally validated skills to the state's emergency response.
A major focus of the training was using helicopters to drop water on simulated active fire lines, a task where the power difference between aircraft is significant. A heavy-lift CH-47 Chinook helicopter can carry 2,000 gallons of water, while a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter can carry 660 gallons.
To support upcoming missions, the Colorado Army National Guard will prioritize a team of two Chinooks and a mobile refueling team. While Black Hawk helicopters are available for short-term fire support within the state, their primary function is high-altitude search and rescue.
Additionally, lighter UH-72 Lakota helicopters will be on standby to direct aerial traffic in and around the restricted area of large fires and move crews and gear for up to a week at a time.
“Our collaborative aerial firefighting training with civilian and interstate partners is designed to ensure our air and ground crews are prepared to protect our communities from wildfires," said U.S. Army Lt. Col. Muriel Missler, director of aviation and safety. "This rigorous training not only enables safe and effective operations in Colorado's challenging environments but also enhances our combat aviation skills and planning capabilities.”
The Colorado Army National Guard is prepared to sustain potential high-intensity operations for about two weeks at a time. If a fire lasts longer, backup support will be requested from other states to ensure there are no coverage gaps. The urgency of this coordination was highlighted by Polis, who said state-managed aircraft had already dropped nearly 200,000 gallons of fire suppressant in just the first four months of 2026.
“We talked about the increase in the number of fire events that are likely," Polis said during the briefing. "It makes a big difference whether there's 4,000 or whether there's 8,000 in a given year. This year looks like it could be closer to 8,000.”
In the event of a fire, the Colorado Army National Guard’s ability to integrate with local partners is a critical advantage for citizens of Colorado. This collaborative, year-round approach ensures that Colorado’s aerial shield is ready to deploy whenever the next fire ignites.