Douglas County commissioners approved a construction contract Tuesday for a new wildfire helicopter hangar, a project officials say will protect a critical wildfire-fighting resource.

The Board of Douglas County Commissioners approved a contract totaling $4,221,302 for site development and construction of the Helitack Hangar.

Officials said the hangar will protect the county’s firefighting helicopter from weather events like recent hail storms in the region. 

During severe weather, crews currently move the aircraft into a salt and sand storage shed to shield it from the elements. That provides protection but can delay takeoff, officials said.

Mike Alexander, director of emergency management, said the program is the only locally owned and operated Helitack program in Colorado.

With a dedicated hangar, the helicopter would be housed in a facility designed for aviation use and could be deployed more quickly when needed, Alexander said.

“Any amount of hail damage to the helicopter could take it fully out of commission and be unavailable for a wildland fire response,” Alexander told commissioners.

The helicopter has responded to 112 fires in the past nine years, including 81 in Douglas County, according to Alexander.

The National Drought Mitigation Center said that, as of June 2, about 96% of Douglas County was experiencing some level of drought. Of that, 38% of the county was classified under severe drought, while 57% was under moderate drought conditions.

Tim Hallmark, director of facilities and fleet services, told commissioners that the project is expected to move quickly following approval. Groundbreaking is expected roughly 90 days later, with the facility projected to open in spring 2027.

“It is truly an investment in safety and ensuring that that critical firefighting resource is available and ready to go any day, any month, of any year,” Alexander said.