DENVER (KDVR) — The U.S. Forest Service is funding a new firefighting team based out of the Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport, bringing two SkyCrane helicopters to the region.
According to the U.S. Forest Service, the project is dubbed “Operation Sky Hammer” and has placed two new SkyCrane helicopters at the base of the Rocky Mountains, pre-positioned to be close to where the fire danger is highest and ready to immediately fight wildfires.
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The helicopters were described as “surge capacity” for initial attack responses to wildfires.
“This innovative program is adding capacity to our wildland firefighting response in Colorado and throughout the Rocky Mountain Region,” said Troy Heithecker, Regional Forester for the Rocky Mountain Region, in the announcement of the new firefighting team. “Coupled with the modernized airtanker base in Colorado Springs and our other airtanker bases across our region, we will be able to respond more quickly and efficiently when wildfires start.”…