Girl Scout camps prepare for summer fire season

April 27, 2026

Property teams take steps to ensure camper health and safety

With a historically warm and dry winter across Colorado, the Wildland Fire Management Section of the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control is predicting a worse-than-usual fire season this year. In response, Girl Scouts of Colorado (GSCO) summer camp properties Tomahawk Ranch and Sky High Ranch are taking increased precautions to protect campers from wildfires and other emergencies.

"Camper safety is a top priority at all our summer activities," said Heidi Vielhaber, chief outdoor program and property officer. "Our camp staff work year-round with local officials to create comprehensive emergency response plans and thoroughly train seasonal staff to ensure the highest standard of safety for the 2,000 campers we serve each summer."

GSCO’s full property portfolio is 1,600 acres and includes Sky High Ranch located near Woodland Park, Tomahawk Ranch near Bailey, and seven additional properties across Colorado. Sky High Ranch and Tomahawk Ranch are making changes to increase defensibility against wildfires, including updating buildings with fire-resistant materials, purchasing backup generators for emergency communications, and working with arborists to identify and remove aging trees.

Sky High Ranch recently purchased a four-wheel, engine-powered machine called a skid steer with a masticating head that is being used to create defensible perimeters of buildings and chip up combustible materials in the surrounding land. Tomahawk Ranch recently mitigated the entire 480-acre camp.

All GSCO camps maintain extensive emergency and disaster preparedness procedures, covering scenarios including lost campers, tornadoes, fires, shelter-in-place, lockdown, active shooter situations, evacuation of campers with disabilities, and family reunification following an emergency. All GSCO properties are located in FEMA-designated low flood hazard areas.

Both Tomahawk Ranch and Sky High Ranch are licensed childcare camps and are accredited by the American Camp Association, which recognizes camps that meet rigorous health, safety, and operational standards. Recent state and federal grants have funded safety improvements, including new solar-powered access gates and fencing.

Tomahawk Ranch and Sky High Ranch were recognized on Newsweek’s America’s Best Summer Camps 2024. Spots are still open to attend overnight, day, and family camps with GSCO. Learn more about sessions and registration requirements at www.camp.girlscoutsofcolorad.org.

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Girl Scouts bring their dreams to life and work together to build a better world. Through programs from coast to coast, Girl Scouts of all backgrounds and abilities can be unapologetically themselves as they discover their strengths and rise to meet new challenges—whether they want to climb to the top of a tree or the top of their class, lace up their boots for a hike or advocate for climate justice, or make their first best friends. Backed by trusted adult volunteers, mentors, and millions of alums, Girl Scouts lead the way as they find their voices and make changes that affect the issues most important to them. To join us, volunteer, reconnect, or donate, visit girlscoutsofcolorado.org.

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Girl Scouts of Colorado
1-877-404-5708
girlscoutsofcolorado.org