Fredericton’s firefighters are preparing for wildfire season and specifically training to protect the urban interface — in other words, where the woods meet populated areas.
Members of the Fredericton Fire Department (FFD) have been taking part in specialized training this month to strengthen their ability to respond to wildfire threats.
The program, run by the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF), teaches command, control and tactical decision-making when protecting structures exposed to wildfire.
FFD Platoon Capt. Glen Sullivan, the district coordinator for the program, says climate change and low precipitation is making this a more critical area of firefighting.
“We had issues up in the Miramichi, down in the Annapolis Valley in Nova Scotia, over in Newfoundland, so it’s pretty much everywhere now,” he said about wildfire activity in the region.
He adds that this year’s conditions in New Brunswick are even more concerning than last year.
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“The snow load for this year was quite low and we entered into the firefighting season two weeks earlier this year,” he said.
Firefighters on Friday were learning about the unique conditions when it comes to fighting wildfires where developed areas meet forests.
Mark Brise, a master instructor with the IAFF, previously told Global News it’s time firefighters think beyond traditional training.
“For structural firefighters, we’re used to having a fire, if you will, inside of box — like a house fire or something like that — and we’re really good at keeping that fire in that box. With these urban interface fires now we’ve got fire outside,” Brise said.
“We need new ways to deal with the fire in that environment.”
Different tactics include being able to switch directions quickly, learning to fight fires without a hydrant or staying in one spot, and how to be able to move swiftly from home to home.
Sullivan says these types of wildfires can behave differently than typical structural fires.
“The (lesson) that I’m doing today is on safety, so we have a good talk about that,” he said.
“Just going over some of the strategies and tactics that we would utilize in this environment.”
Firefighter Alex Matthews says the training is helping the crew build confidence with the hottest months right around the corner.
“Anytime we do training like this, we always get more information, more tactics, more equipment, and it just helps us get better at it so if it does happen, we are prepared to deal with it,” he said.
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