Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Wildfire Response topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
County staff to draft letter of interest after state RFI seeks Western Slope firefighting base
Summary
The Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control issued an RFI seeking host locations on the Western Slope for a Type 1 firefighting helicopter and support element; Rio Blanco County staff recommended sending a letter of interest and conducting feasibility work on two county airports.
Eric Hocques, county staff, briefed commissioners on a Feb. 12 request for information (RFI) from the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control seeking host sites for a Type 1 firefighting helicopter and a maintenance/support element on the Western Slope.
Hocques summarized the RFI’s basic facility requirements: an airport location with jet‑A fuel, a hangar at least 60 feet by 70 feet with a 55‑foot door and a 100‑by‑100 front ramp area, maintenance capability for airframe and powerplant work, office and conference space sufficient for about six workstations, locker/locker rooms and parking for roughly 20 vehicles. The RFI also anticipates an onsite staffing complement and a need for housing and quality‑of‑life amenities for state employees and contractors.
Hocques said both Meeker and Rangely airports have attributes that could meet parts of the RFI. Rangely’s terminal and available hangar space were cited as a strength, while Meeker is closer to the White River National Forest and already has a fuel farm. County airport engineers supplied a high‑level cost estimate of roughly $2.4 million to build a hangar and maintenance facility that would meet the higher technical needs, according to Hocques.
Commissioners discussed the trade‑offs between the two airports, asked staff to confirm capital needs and financing options, and directed county staff to draft a letter of interest to the state and to make outreach calls to potential state contacts. Hocques recommended the letter list county assets and note areas that would require investment, and he said the county should seek clearer information on long‑term lease terms and state funding commitments before developing a full proposal.
No formal contract or commitment was made at the meeting; staff will prepare a letter of interest and return to the board with engineering cost estimates and a recommended approach if the county decides to pursue the RFI further.
