CENTENNIAL, Colo. - Two Colorado Army National Guard helicopters are assisting civil authorities fight the East Peak fire near Walsenburg in Huerfano County, Colo.
As of Thursday, the fast-burning fire spread over 1,000 acres and led to the evacuation of 178 Boy Scouts from a camp, according to the Denver Post.
The UH-60 Black Hawks fighting the blaze are each equipped with a specialized bucket capable of dropping as much as 500 gallons of water at a time.
One helicopter is from the Colorado National Guard's Army Aviation Support Facility (#COAASF) on Buckley Air Force Base in Aurora, Colo., and one helicopter is from the High-Altitude Army National Guard Aviation Training Site (#HAATS) in Gypsum, Colo.
The Colorado Army National Guard is assisting the Huerfano County Sheriff's Office in fighting the East Peak fire.
"Our Guard members live and work in communities across the state, we're always ready help our neighbors in their time of need," said Brig. Gen. Pete Byrne, commander of the standing Joint Task Force-Centennial. "That's why we serve."