Three years after lawmakers allocated $30 million to purchase its first “Firehawk,” the modified military helicopter that is capable of quickly crisscrossing Colorado to detect and douse flames is finally ready for action.
But that doesn’t mean it will be called to attack the next wildfire that sparks as overgrown fuels dry up in the stifling summer heat.
Highly specialized training for four primary pilots is complete but whether the one-of-a-kind aircraft is called to the next fire depends on what other resources are available nearest to the fire, said Mike Morgan, director of Colorado’s Division of Fire Prevention and Control.
Read more on this story at the Colorado Sun
