Your home and property are likely the biggest investment you’ll ever make, and that’s why your county invests significant resources in the firefighting tools needed to protect your life, home and family from our community’s No. 1 natural hazard – wildfires.
This week, at their regularly scheduled Business Meeting on Jan. 28, Commissioners voted to invest $1,530,000 to ensure air support is always ready to respond in Douglas County.
An amended 2025 contract with Trans Aero, LTD, secures access to a Type 2 helicopter capable of delivering 3oo gallons of water to the front lines of a wildfire. The contract ensures the helicopter will be in Douglas County for a minimum of 168 days through Dec. 31, 2025, and available at the discretion of Douglas County’s Office of Emergency Management at any other time if elevated fire danger warrants activation.
In 2024, a Type 2 Trans Aero helicopter stationed in Douglas County responded to 32 wildfires. Twenty-two of these fires were within Douglas County, and the other 10 were requests for help outside Douglas County for which costs were reimbursed.
Wildfires can strike in any season, in any neighborhood, and move extremely fast. Aerial support is an essential tool in suppressing a fire’s growth and assisting firefighters on the ground as they work to save lives and property.
“In light of the devastation in California, this historic step forward further underscores Douglas County’s unwavering commitment to be proactive and prepared in the event of a catastrophic wildfire,” said Board Chair and Chair of the Wildfire Action Collaborative Commissioner Abe Laydon. “As the only county with a helitack team, we are leading the state and the Denver metro area in fire suppression. One square mile represents $101 million in property values, so this investment has the potential to save our citizens and businesses billions. Our thanks to the Wildfire Action Collaborative and Emergency Management for their ardent support.”
You can also do your part, as a family, to prepare for wildfires by doing mitigation work around your property and creating a defensible space between vegetation and your home.
Please also sign up every phone line in your household for CodeRED notifications, ensuring you receive emergency notifications. If you, or someone in your household, is an older adult or person with a disability and may need extra assistance in the event of an evacuation, please sign up for the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office Access and Functional Needs Registry.