Aspen Fire Protection District receives ‘largest gift to date’

The Aspen Wildfire Foundation announced the donation of a new Type 3 wildland fire engine to the Aspen Fire Protection District — the largest gift it’s ever received and a milestone in this year’s wildfire preparedness fundraising campaign.

The engine arrived in Aspen in late June and will be in service for this wildfire season.

“This gift significantly strengthens our local response capabilities — and it’s just one piece of a broader, community-led push to invest in wildfire resilience,” Rick Balentine, Aspen Fire chief and chair of the Aspen Wildfire Foundation, said in a press release. “We hope it inspires others to step up and support this critical work.” 

The foundation has been working year-round to fund and implement strategies in order to protect people and ecosystems, from fuels reduction and creating defensible space to fire-adapted landscapes and firefighter readiness. With wildfire threats continually increasing, “community support has never been more essential,” according to the press release. 

The engine is a gift of the JP Conte Family Foundation. Aspen local JP Conte is an investor and a private equity veteran who, as a longtime California resident as well, is an advocate for prescribed burns and landscape resilience.

“Aspen is an incredibly beautiful place that I am thankful to call home,” said Conte in the release. “For a long time, I’ve known the kinds of impact wildfire can have on our communities. I am proud to be working with the talented team at the Aspen Wildfire Foundation to help launch this fundraising push and ensure that we have the adequate resources and education to protect the place we all know and love.” 

This announcement comes as the foundation prepares for its second annual Evening of Embers and Elegance fundraiser on July 18 at the Aspen Fire Station. This event will gather community members, partners, and supporters to help fund what the Foundation calls “critical wildfire preparedness measures.” 

Tickets for that event can be purchased at givebutter.com/4onfFV.