Activism & Community

Osprey Deploys to Wildland Fires for Repairs

A thank you to our wildland firefighters from Osprey Packs.

3 min lire
Osprey Deploys to Wildland Fires for Repairs

Tobie Baker

Jul 29, 2026

In late June, separate lightning strikes ignited three wildfires just north of Cortez, CO, near the Lower Dolores River canyon. Those three fires in the San Juan National Forest quickly merged into a single inferno known as the Ferris Fire. 

Within days, area residents were asking how they could help. Osprey employees quickly banded together to pitch in, collecting electrolyte drinks and powders, personal sized hygiene items and individual packs of ibuprofen. Our Warranty & Repair team even stitched up small toiletry bags from repurposed rain covers. 

A group of people pose indoors with a large donation.A group of people pose indoors with a large donation.

As a repair specialist at Osprey, however, I was hopeful my team could do more. Combined, our six-person repair team has more than 50 years of experience repairing packs under our All Mighty Guarantee. So, I asked my colleagues if they wanted to assist in mending gear for those Ferris Fire crews. They all agreed.

After nearly two weeks of back-and-forth conversations with officials, Osprey was given the green light to deploy repair teams to two separate fire camps. From ripped and torn clothing to busted rainfly zippers, we fixed gear for more than three dozen firefighters in just two days. 

A group of tents under a sunset.A group of tents under a sunset.

The mobile repair program has since expanded. We most recently returned from a three-day mission to the Gold Mountain Fire near Ridgway. We started our day before sunrise deploying to the camp to retrieve gear before crews headed out. With a turnaround time of less than eight hours, the repaired gear was waiting when crews returned to camp that night. 

A person sits in front of the Osprey van next to a sewing machine repairing items.A person sits in front of the Osprey van next to a sewing machine repairing items.

Here’s where I have to give a special shout out to Amy Baer. Director of the Ridgway Public Library, Amy helped to facilitate the relatively quick process by graciously providing our team a conference room—free of charge—to perform the repairs off site of the fire camp. She even gave us a key to access the building when the library was closed.  

A zipper from a pair of pants taken apart for repair.A zipper from a pair of pants taken apart for repair.

From the Ferris Fire to the Gold Mountain Fire, the firefighters were extremely grateful. I can't recall how many times we heard, "Thank you for helping us," or "I've never seen a company repair gear at a fire."  

My response: “Thank you to all the firefighters risking your lives to protect ours. Repairing your gear is the best way I can show my appreciation.”

An alien statue with an American flag taped to its finger.An alien statue with an American flag taped to its finger.
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