COLORADO SPRINGS — A three-person crew from Colorado Springs Fire Department just returned from a 14-day deployment helping at the Elk and Lee fires on the western side of Colorado.

“Not only did we provide protection and different strategies and tactics, as we did some follow through, we were able to take care of animals and livestock that were left behind,” said Lieutenant Todd Smith.

The were part of dealing with hot, dry, and windy conditions that pushed the Lee fire to the 5 th largest recorded wildfire in Colorado.

“We gained a wealth of experience,” said Smith.

Offering mutual aid with available resources is common for Colorado Springs Fire Department.

Less typical is the recent high number of requests.

In just one month 17 firefighters have been sent to help with wildfires

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