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Firefighters Train with Controlled Burns This Weekend
24 Jun
Summary
- Seventy-eight firefighters participated in the Northwest Oregon Wildfire School.
- Training included live fire exercises and culling invasive plants.
- Controlled burns may cause smoke, community advised to monitor air quality.
This weekend, controlled burns will be conducted at Camp Rilea as part of the Northwest Oregon Wildfire School. This training event will involve seventy-eight firefighters from Clatsop and Tillamook counties, preparing them for the active fire season. The school, in existence for nearly 30 years, offers crucial "live fire" training.
The prescribed burns serve multiple purposes: providing students with practical experience, reducing wildfire risks on the base, and eradicating invasive plants like European beach grass and scotch bloom. This ecological benefit allows native coastal prairie plants to thrive.
Firefighters will practice tactics under supervision, learning how fuels, weather, and topography interact on an active fire. They will also train with drip torches for controlled burns, a vital technique for slowing wildfire spread. Community members are advised to monitor air quality and limit smoke exposure.
