Flying six days a week can be intense and crews have to be at their best.
Wildfires destroy hundreds of thousands of acres of woodlands and open ranges annually.
Colorado Springs and Pueblo airports served as staging areas for this year s annual Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System training held in Colorado May 17-21. Military members do not become actively involved in fire fighting missions until all civilian resources have been committed to an operation and are no longer available to combat new fires. A prior agreement arranged with the military allows the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise, Idaho, to request military participation through the Director of Military Support at the Pentagon. During the training, Colorado Springs Utilities provided water for the drops. Actual retardant is used during fires only.