Wyoming State Forestry opened a new helibase Thursday to house aircraft that help fight wildfires.
The Casper facility is the latest move in a push for more wildfire resources and an aggressive approach to suppressing fires this season. Wyoming State Forester Kelly Norris said the new base will act as a centralized location for aerial fire resources and will strengthen the state’s fire response.
“ Wyoming takes an all hands, all lands approach to wildland fire suppression,” Norris said. “That approach depends on strong partnerships and coordination across agencies, communities, counties and different levels of government. And this facility represents that philosophy in a very tangible way”
Back in 2024, lawmakers allocated over $7.5 million to relocate the helibase from Glenrock to Casper-Natrona County International Airport.
The facility is the new home for two lightweight helicopters that were also funded in 2024. The additional funding was approved shortly before one of the most severe fire seasons on record when evaluating total acreage burned during a season.
The Casper helibase also has a living area that will primarily be used by seasonal employees. Offering paid housing for these temporary employees is one of Wyoming’s several initiatives to create more competitive compensation for firefighters, according to Chris Fallbeck, State Forestry's Assistant fire management officer . He said the new base has the capacity to house up to 12 employees.
Fallbeck reflected on the impact the crew has had on wildfires in recent years during a speech at the new facility’s ribbon cutting. Since 2004, Wyoming State Helitack has responded to 834 missions, flying over 3,500 hours of flight time, according to Fallbeck.
That data, Fallbeck said, exclude fires addressed by the two newer helicopters that will be housed at the Casper helibase. Since beginning operation in 2024, the new aircraft have delivered 300,000 gallons of water for the fires in the state of Wyoming.
Craig Haslam, president of the Wyoming Rural Firefighters Association, highlighted the nuanced approach needed to combat fires across the state.
“Technology and advancements are key in fire suppression, but it still takes boots on the ground and wings or rotors in the air,” Haslam said.
The state has responded to 908 wildfires in 2026. Those fires have burned more than 63,200 acres, with 75% to 80% of those burns being on state or private lands, according to a report given by Norris last month.
Gov. Mark Gordon highlighted this year’s difficult fire season at the facility’s ribbon cutting. He said airplanes and helicopters play a critical role in changing the course of a fire.
“With the SEATs that we have, the single engine air tankers (SEAT) and other resources that we've had, Wyoming has been able to respond much more quickly,” Gordon said. “But nothing replaces the courage and the tenacity of our firefighters.”
The governor said the facility was the first of its kind in Wyoming and praised the state’s firefighters for their commitment to keeping local communities safe. Wyoming continues to experience wildfires across the state.
