Since Saturday, he has been managing operators staffing eight-hour shifts around the clock. They're doing such things as setting up portable radio repeaters and relaying messages between the fire lines and command posts. About 40 operators have volunteered.

A 5:15 a.m. phone call Sunday asked amateur radio operator Randy Long to find more volunteers to aid communication in the High Park fire zone — and warned him to evacuate his home.

Long, an Amateur Radio Emergency Service coordinator for Larimer and Weld counties, fled his house southeast of Buckhorn Mountain and started rallying more licensed ham operators to work the fire.

http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_20852619/colorados-amateur-radio-operators-fill-wildfire-coverage-gaps

And at least they're modest: "We're kind of the unsung heroes," said Robert Wareham, Colorado section emergency coordinator.