About Us : EPSO Wildland Fire
Who We Are
The El Paso County Wildland Fire Crew (EPSOWF) is an all volunteer team comprised of citizens from El Paso County and the surrounding area dedicated to saving lives and property. Our crew members come from all walks of life and range in age from the young (18) to the young at heart (60). All crew members are dedicated, well trained, hard working individuals who take satisfaction in delivering a much needed and important service to the community. Many positions exist within the crew hierarchy to include : logistics, public information, cache management and fire suppression. We operate out of 2 locations, first is our Firebase off of Vincent Drive, Colorado Springs, CO and second as part of the Emergency Services Division, of the Law Enforcement Bureau , of the El Paso County Sheriff's Office.

	What We Do
	EPSOWF provides engine crews and Type II hand crews for all ranges of wildland fire suppression from initial attack to mop-up, prescribed burns, and urban interface protection. This crew has successfully fought hundreds of wildland fires in our county and surrounding areas from small lightning strikes to full blown wildland fires like the Haymen fire of 2002. In addition to fire suppression activities the crew provides public services in the form of training and education. EPSOWF is responsible for "'red card" and wildland fire training activities for local fire departments throughout the county. We also assist the US Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, CO State Forest Service, Department of Defense (Air Force; Army), and the National Park Service.

	Our Territory
	El Paso County lies in east central Colorado (statewide map), and encompasses more than 2,158 square miles (slightly more than twice the area of the entire state of Rhode Island). While the western portion of El Paso County is extremely mountainous, the eastern part is prairie land. The altitude ranges from about 5,095 feet (1569 m) on the southern border at Black Squirrel Creek to 14,110 feet (4301 m) on the summit of Pikes Peak, near the western boundary. The 2000 census estimated total population: 510,000. Number of estimated households: 206,000. Our firefighting expertise, out of necessity, must include light fuel (grassland), brush (juniper, gamble oak) of the plains, foothills and high desert up to and including the heavy timber and forested lands of the mountains.

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