MOLALLA, Ore. — Warmer, drier weather is in the forecast for the Portland metro area for the next week, which is a reminder that wildfire season is upon us.
"The more the area's in a drought condition, the more unpredictable and the larger the wildfires become," said Rich Saalsah, the deputy first chief of Philomath Fire and Rescue.
What should be predictable is the plan to respond to those fires.
"Unless you've actually confronted and seen fire up-close and personal, you can't get that experience except for actually doing it. So this is the opportunity for people to get that experience so when it comes to an actual wildland firefighter, it minimizes the number of surprises," Saalsah said.
More than 160 firefighters from 28 fire agencies from around the Willamette Valley and Portland metro area joined forces for the 13th annual Metro Advanced Wildland School (MAWS) in Molalla.
MAWS is hosted by the Northwest Association of Fire Trainers and Molalla Fire District with support from the Oregon State Fire Marshal, Oregon Department of Forestry and the Department of Public Safety and Standards.
The two-day training is designed to train structural firefighters on wildland firefighting techniques.
"How to read it, where it's going, and how to stop it in its tracks," Saalsah said.
The firefighters were also able to complete some certification requirements that are needed for them to be able to respond throughout Oregon and neighboring states. Techniques they learned included how to use specific hand tools, radio communications with a helicopter doing water drops, triaging homes, and extinguishing controlled live fire.
"We did an airdrop here simulating having a fire on the ground there that we use a trailing drop. So they brought it in and spread that water out for us along that drop," said Ryan Johnson, the battalion chief for Portland Fire and Rescue. "We'll use it to wet ground that we don't want fire spread to put fire out then anytime you know that we want to wet something down just to protect it."
As part of the training, 25 firefighters gained experience and complete certifications for managing large-scale and complex incidents.
"It's just great to have more knowledge," said Magnolia Blackwood, a Portland paramedic firefighter and inspector.