Wildfire season is year-round in Colorado, and the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO) is prepared. According to Sheriff and Fire Warden Darren Weekly, DCSO operates the only county-sponsored helitack program in Colorado.

“Helitack” refers to fighting fires with the use of helicopters, and DCSO’s program includes wildland firefighters specifically trained in chainsaw use, hand crew fire suppression and aerial firefighting in steep, rugged terrain, explained DCSO Emergency Management Director Mike Alexander.

“It’s a tremendous resource to have a dedicated helicopter right here in Douglas County, along with specialized wildland firefighting helitack crews,” said Alexander in an interview about the recent Penley Fire west of Sedalia. Within the first four hours of that fire, the helitack team executed 45 water drops.

Eight DCSO Emergency Services Unit (ESU) deputies serve as the county’s primary helitack firefighters, working directly with the helicopter during wildfire response. DCSO contracts with helicopter owner Trans Aero LTD to provide the pilot, mechanic and fuel driver.

Separate from the ESU, approximately 20 DCSO deputies are cross-trained in wildland firefighting and serve on the department’s ground-based Wildland Fire Hand Crew. These deputies train every other week while continuing to perform their regular law-enforcement duties. Both teams were called upon to help control the Penley Fire this summer.
Although helitack is a major part of their work, ESU team members have several additional responsibilities. These include ground-based wildfire mitigation, hazardous fuels reduction on county property, and training for other emergency teams. They also respond to non-fire disasters, conduct prescribed burns under controlled conditions, and perform specialized tree-felling operations. Through mutual-aid agreements, the helitack team also assists with large and complex wildfires elsewhere in the country.

Since 2018, the helitack team has responded to 133 fires, including 27 so far this year.

The public does not hear about most of these incidents because the fires are spotted, contained and extinguished before they threaten lives or property.

The Douglas County Board of County Commissioners approved six full-time helitack positions in 2023, paving the way for the services now in place. In 2025, the commissioners announced the Douglas County Wildfire Action Collaborative –– a partnership involving Douglas County, DCSO, Pano AI, CORE Electric Cooperative and Xcel Energy. The collaboration combines AI camera technology, the county’s heavy firefighting equipment, mitigation teams from both energy companies and the helitack team. Together, these resources help detect fires while they are still small and respond aggressively before they grow out of control.

Alexander summed it up: “Helitack operations allow us to fulfill our fire suppression mission of hitting wildfires hard, heavy and fast.”

 

By Celeste McNeil; photos courtesy of DCSO