Colorado Firefighters Train at Eisenhower-Johnson Tunnel as State Dries Up

Crews prepare for wildfire risk along I-70 mountain corridor amid low snowpack

Apr. 9, 2026 at 2:07am

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A vast, majestic landscape painting depicting the towering, snow-capped peaks of the Colorado Rockies under a dramatic, moody sky. The Eisenhower-Johnson Memorial Tunnel is barely visible in the distance, dwarfed by the overwhelming scale of the natural environment.The Eisenhower-Johnson Memorial Tunnel, a vital transportation link through Colorado's rugged Rocky Mountains, stands as a small reminder of human engineering against the overwhelming scale of the state's natural landscape.Glenwood Springs Today

Colorado's Department of Transportation is conducting regular fire response drills inside the Eisenhower-Johnson Memorial Tunnel, one of the state's most critical and challenging stretches of roadway. With an unusually dry winter raising concerns about wildfire risk, the tunnel fire brigade is training to be ready to respond to car fires, crashes, and potential wildfires along the mountain corridor.

Why it matters

The Eisenhower-Johnson Memorial Tunnel is a vital transportation link through the Colorado Rockies, and the fire brigade's preparedness is crucial for public safety as the state faces heightened wildfire risk due to low snowpack levels this year. The tunnel's unique challenges, including vehicles pushing hard uphill, make regular training essential.

The details

Crews spent a day running through fire response drills just outside the tunnel system as part of CDOT's regularly scheduled training. The tunnel fire brigade is on call 24/7 and can respond to incidents within a 1-mile radius of the tunnels, including car fires, crashes, and wildfires. CDOT's maintenance crews are also doing more fire mitigation work along the road to remove dead trees and logs.

  • The training drills took place on Wednesday, April 9, 2026.
  • CDOT says these hands-on trainings happen monthly at the Eisenhower-Johnson Memorial Tunnel and the Hanging Lake Tunnel in Glenwood Springs.

The players

Pete Ingel

CDOT's fire program manager.

Jori Ernst

With CDOT's Office of Emergency Management.

Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT)

The state agency responsible for maintaining the Eisenhower-Johnson Memorial Tunnel and conducting emergency response training for the tunnel fire brigade.

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What they’re saying

“There's a lot of pressure to try and keep (fire) small, catch it quick.”

— Pete Ingel, CDOT's fire program manager

“With the limited snowpack this year, we obviously have some high concern for wildfires. Our maintenance crews are doing more fire mitigation along the road to get rid of the dead trees, dead logs.”

— Jori Ernst, With CDOT's Office of Emergency Management

What’s next

CDOT says these monthly training drills will continue throughout the year to ensure the tunnel fire brigade is prepared to respond quickly to any emergencies that may arise along the I-70 mountain corridor.

The takeaway

As Colorado faces heightened wildfire risk due to low snowpack, the specialized fire brigade at the Eisenhower-Johnson Memorial Tunnel is working to stay ready for any potential incidents that could threaten this vital transportation link through the Rocky Mountains. Their regular training drills demonstrate the importance of proactive emergency preparedness for critical infrastructure.