Wildfires blazing through rough canyon terrain are no match for the improved Huey helicopter - the latest tool in battling local blazes quickly and accurately.

Now the Huey helicopter will multi-task as a crime-fighting, blaze-battling machine - that can also transport about 6 firefighters into rough terrain to fight wildfires from the ground.

The Washoe County Sheriff's Office announced that one of its three crime-fighting and search-and-rescue helicopters in the RAVEN unit can now fly higher, hover longer and carry more weight.

The Huey helicopter was fitted with a new engine - required by the Federal Aviation Administration for all Huey helicopters - as well as a new tail rotar and a 369-gallon tank to hold water and fire-suppression foam.

Replacing and upgrading equipment is much more economical that purchasing a new Huey helicopter - which costs $8.5 million. The Washoe County Commission authorized up to $260,000 for the retrofit, and Commission Chairman Bob Larkin of Sparks said the retrofit was completed early and under-budget.

"The federal and state air resources for fire suppression are spread thin," Larkin said. "It is good to be able to rely on local resources. This is the start, but I hope it's not the end of the retrofit program. The damage done by the Hawken Fire (in south Lake Tahoe) would have been significantly reduced if we could have used the helicopter at that time."

Local fire agencies work cooperatively to fight large fires throughout the region, state and country. Now, when wildfires break out before or after the official fire season, the Huey can be called on when state and federal agencies can not.

"A lot of aircraft are contracted through the state and federal levels during fire season," said Mike Brown, fire chief of the North Lake Tahoe Fire District. "The Huey is available 24/7, so fires that occur before or after fire season, we can use it to hit it as fast and hard as we can. Air support is almost as important as the ground support during the initial attack, and the Huey can size up the fire from the air."

The fire-suppressing Huey will be used for fighting fires in rugged and remote terrain. The helicopter, when crews and equipment are ready, can launch in 10 minutes, compared to a much longer time when firefighters are forced to hike rugged terrain to reach a fire.

This is especially important to this region, where residents rely on the cooperative efforts of all local agencies.

"Everything we do in Washoe County, we do as a team," said Kurt Latipow, Washoe County Fire Services coordinator.

This cooperative effort was evident during last year's Hawken fire at South Lake Tahoe.

"With the heavy fuels in the Tahoe basin, another catastrophic fire is in the thoughts of every fire department," Brown said. "Fires have increased in numbers and sizes. The reduction in air forces, that's why it's so vital to slow the spread of the fire, extinguish them and hit them early. I'm looking forward to having this in our toolbox, if needed."

The Huey HH-1H can fly up to speeds of 120 miles per hour. It is part of the RAVEN unit based at the Reno/Stead Airport. The helicopter has a 369-gallon water tank that can hold 30 gallons of fire-suppressing foam.

"The tank uses a snorkel to pump water from pools as shallow as 12 inches, so it makes more water sources available," according to the Washoe County Sheriff's Department website. "It is also better to carry a secure tank over populated places than to dangle a bucket. In addition, the tank is more effective; It delivers the water more accurately and the foam/water mixture does not evaporate as quickly."

This Huey helicopter was built in 1970, according to Sgt. Darren Rice with Raven and Search and Rescue and a man who leads the mechanical team. Huey engines typically last for 5,000 hours of air time - or about 15-20 years, they said.