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Lehi firefighters deployed to Colorado to battle raging wildfires

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LEHI, Utah – Wildland firefighters from Lehi have been deployed to Colorado to help battle more than a dozen wildfires.

Marshall Phillips, Aaron Fuller, and Sam Ashman had just finished fighting the Trail Mountain Fire in Emery County and two days later, they’re on a new assignment in Colorado.

“Monday afternoon we got a resource order for our type 6 engine to report to Colorado,” said Jake Beck, Lehi Battalion Chief. “It’s a local Type 1 incident in Colorado. A Type 1 incident is the most complex wildfire incident which typically brings in the most qualified teams to run it.”

While wildfires ravage parts of Utah, Beck says they committed to the Colorado assignment before the Dollar Ridge Fire became more intense.

At least nine wildfires are raging in Colorado creating challenging conditions for crews. Hundreds of homes are under evacuation orders and structures have been destroyed. The Utah crew is being deployed to the High Chateau Fire in Teller County in the mountains west of Colorado Springs. As of Wednesday morning, it has burned nearly 1500 acres and is 35% contained.

“They’re getting more urban interface fires. By looking at the complexities, and evacuations they have going on they’re probably going to be defending a lot of structures,” said Beck.

Lehi firefighters will join 255 others on the ground in Colorado for the 2-week deployment. Once they arrive at the mobilization center, they’ll learn more about their duties.

“More than likely, they’ll either be on the fire line for a couple of hours or they’ll put them down in camp. Tomorrow they’ll report to the fire line,” said Beck.

It’s the type of mission they continually train for so they’re ready at a moments notice.

“They’re the best we have in Lehi and we’re proud they’re going there and representing Utah and representing Lehi,” said Beck.