Central Oregon Wildfire School uses prescribed burns to teach students wildland firefighting basics

The Crooked River National Grassland allows out-of-area structural firefighters to work prescribed burns so they have a chance to fight wildfires in fuel types common to central Oregon.

On June 24 and 25, more than 150 structural and wildland firefighters from 23 different fire agencies received intermediate wildland firefighter training on the Ochoco National Forest's Crooked River National Grassland.

The training is part of the Central Oregon Wildfire School in Madras.

Wildfires frequently threaten homes in the central Oregon wildland/urban interface.

When local structural forces are depleted, the governor may invoke the Conflagration Act, which allows the state fire marshal to mobilize firefighters and equipment from around the state, and provides for the funding of resources through state funds.

The Crooked River National Grassland allows firefighters to come to this area to participate in training targeted for fuel modification through prescribed burning.

The training gives out-of-area structural firefighters, who would respond to a conflagration, a chance to fight wildfires in fuel types common to central Oregon.

During the two-day training, students learned how to perform a running attack on a fire using their engines.

They also learned how to complete mop-up activities and build handlines to stop a fire from spreading.

Each wildland firefighter learned how to fight a fire using hoselays, protect homes from a wildfire and use fire shelters and helicopter resources.

More than 150 students from the Central Oregon Wildfire School in Madras participated in the two-day training.

Firefighters receive training on many types of wildland-fire activities, including building handline and per forming mop up.