Colorado Army National Guard helps fight wildfires | Environment

The Colorado Army National Guard has joined firefighting efforts at the Waldo Canyon fire in Colorado Springs, Colo.

One UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter equipped with a BamBi Bucket(r) has been sent to Waldo Canyon at the request of the incident commander. One bucket is capable of carrying and delivering nearly 500 gallons of water at a time.

Additional CONG assets are standing by should they be called.

The Colorado Army National Guard is operating under the governor's executive order to assist the Colorado Division of Emergency Management and the incident commander in fighting the Waldo Canyon fire.

"Our aircrews are just transitioning from a challenging but successful firefighting mission on the High Park fires," said Adjutant General of Colorado Maj. Gen Mike Edwards, who commands the Colorado National Guard.

"It's our highest priority to respond immediately in times of need. We are neighbors helping neighbors. That's why we serve."

During the High Park firefighting mission CONG crews dropped more than 50,000 gallons of water on the fire.

The helicopter and crew members launched from the Army Aviation Support Facility on Buckley Air Force Base in Aurora, Colo.

The flight crews are Colorado Army National Guard Citizen-Soldiers of 2nd Battalion, 135th General Support Aviation.

Colorado National Guard Citizen-Soldiers and Citizen-Airmen are always ready, always there to support when neighbors find themselves in harms way.