The assistance from Delaware’s three-man crew is a yearly occurrence, according to the Delaware Forest Service’s Wild-land Fire Supervisor Sam Topper.
“I’ve been doing this for 21 years now, we do this every summer across the nation. Every state participates in the national effort. So, the federal government kinda runs the whole apparatus and all the states chip in whatever they can to help during the busy summer months. We do that every summer as well, with both an engine and a hand-crew.” Topper told DPM.
This year, the crew is going with a new fire engine, an E-613, which Topper says is an upgrade from the last in terms of capability and water capacity.
The type six fire engine is also smaller than the typical fire truck, which makes it perfect for fighting the Turner Gulch Fire- the wild-land fire in Colorado that the Delaware crew has been sent to assist with.
Topper is also serving as the engine boss of this crew, which he says will be away from home for two weeks before being replaced by another team, then repeating that process until the fire is dealt with.
The Turner Gulch fire was discovered on July 10th, 2025 during a red flag event that was followed by extensive dry lightning. It is currently covering 15,071 acres.
The Delaware Forest Service says steep terrain, hot dry weather, and drought conditions are making it difficult for crews to access this fire. It has been noted that 9% of the fire perimeter has been contained
The teams are made up of mostly private citizens who the Delaware Forest Service hires on a seasonal basis, which Topper says begins every year in the winter.
Delaware has trained more than 600 firefighters since 1996 and battled wildfires in numerous states, including Alaska, Arizona, Georgia, California, Colorado, Idaho, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Utah, Virginia, and Washington.
Those interested are asked to visit the Delaware Forest Service Wildland Fire Program webpage.
