Helicopter 'made the difference' in quickly containing Lake Minnequa fire in Pueblo

A helicopter that can carry 700 gallons of water was the ace up Pueblo firefighters' sleeves as they fought a blaze that burned more than 50 acres in a Pueblo park Thursday, a fire official said.

Crews had already responded to the fire about 3:15 p.m., when flames could be seen licking up from Lake Minnequa Park and black smoke billowing into the sky above Pueblo.

The fire had broken out in a part of the park that's densely packed with dry reeds, Pueblo Fire Department Capt. Woody Percival told Colorado Public Radio.

Wind pushed the fire through the reeds rapidly, and it developed "two heads and kind of started moving two different directions at the same time,” he said.

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A nursing home was evacuated, according to CPR, and pre-evacuation orders were issued for residents near the park, where there are half a dozen apartment blocks, a hospital and a middle school.

But the blaze was contained within three hours, Percival said, thanks in large part to the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control helicopter, which flew to Pueblo from Cañon City.

The helicopter can carry 700 gallons of water and dump it with pinpoint accuracy on a blaze as the pilot coordinates with ground crews, according to the National Interagency Fire Center.

"There was no way we could do anywhere near that kind of gallonage and be as effective as they were," without the helicopter, Percival told The Chieftain. "They were there for a few hours. They were able to put a ton of water on (the fire) and it definitely made the difference."

The fire was contained by 6:30 p.m. Fire crews remained on scene overnight to ensure there were no flare ups.

Drone flights hinder helicopter operations

One problem during firefighting operations was drones flying in the area, hindering helicopter operations, Percival said.

"Early on, there were a lot of private drones in the air, so when the helicopter was coming in, they couldn't fly safely because there were so many drones in the air," Percival said.

The Pueblo Fire Department posted a message on social media, declaring Lake Minnequa "restricted airspace" and warning that the Pueblo Police Department was patrolling for drone pilots.

"It worked,” Percival said. “People put their drones down and let the helicopter do its thing."

No structures were impacted by the fire. The closest it came to nearby homes in the Minnequa neighborhood was about 300 - 400 feet, Percival said.

"We were definitely concerned because any change in wind or rapid change in conditions could have changed that very quickly, but we had luck on our side."

There was no investigation into the cause of the fire as of Friday, as no structures were damaged and there was no loss of life or injury, Percival said. But the fire was most likely human-caused, he added.

Motor vehicles are unlikely to have been the cause, as the only vehicles in the area were service and parks department vehicles, Percival said.

There was no gas or electricity nearby, and nothing that would spontaneously combust, such as oily rags.

"It ends up being likely human caused — whether accidental or intentional we can't tell right now," he said. "Someone tosses a cigarette, or a campfire, someone cooking or keeping themselves warm in one of the homeless camps, or something like that."

There has been no evidence that the fire was set intentionally, he said.

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Nearly 85% of wildland fires in the United States are caused by humans, according to the National Parks Service.

"Human-caused fires result from campfires left unattended, the burning of debris, equipment use and malfunctions, negligently discarded cigarettes, and intentional acts of arson," the parks service wrote in an article on wildfire causes.

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Without the assistance of the helicopter, the fire would have been much more difficult to contain and extinguish as the marshy terrain made it difficult to bring in fire engines and other heavy equipment, Percival said.

One vehicle belonging to the fire department got stuck in the mud and the fire burned close to the crew, he said.

If the helicopter had not been available to assist, the firefighting would likely have focused on ensuring that the fire did not leave the park, rather than attacking the blaze.

To avoid wildfires, the fire department urges residents to be cautious with cigarettes and other potential fire starters, especially during dry, windy weather where fires can easily catch and burn out of control.

After a fire starts, Percival urged residents to pay attention to news sources and official social media pages such as the Pueblo fire and police departments', which will announce evacuations and areas to avoid.

While public curiosity is understandable, Percival also urged residents to stay out of the way of fire and police operations when wildfires occur.

"(Thursday's fire) was a hugely attended event, I will say that," he said.

Vehicles along Lake Avenue and other streets near the park caused traffic jams, which Percival said could have caused serious issues if evacuations had been ordered or structures had caught fire.

Questions, comments, or story tips? Contact Justin at Jreutterma@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @jayreutter1. 

This article originally appeared on The Pueblo Chieftain: Pueblo's Lake Minnequa Fire contained quickly with helicopter support