SWEETWATER COUNTY — The Southwest Wyoming Regional Airport played a major role in wildfire suppression efforts across the region this summer, serving as one of just over a dozen Bureau of Land Management single-engine air tanker bases in the country.

Airport Director Devon Brubaker said the airport supported dozens of firefighting efforts in Wyoming, Utah and Colorado, including the Dollar Lake Fire. In total, aircraft operating from the base flew 87 missions on 27 separate wildfires during the 2025 season.

“These numbers only include our single-engine air tankers,” Brubaker said. “They don’t include the helicopter traffic we had here this summer.”

Brubaker said the aircraft are capable of reaching fires in multiple states from Rock Springs. “They can go all the way to Utah and Colorado,” he said.

He added that coordination between the airport and the BLM has been seamless. “It’s a very smooth operation, no complications or issues at all,” Brubaker said.

The airport has separate facilities for firefighting operations, allowing it to handle both air tanker and passenger traffic without disruption.

“There’s no interruption to passenger service, no negative impacts whatsoever,” Brubaker said.