When the wildland meets more urban structures like homes or other buildings, there are added risk factors wildland firefighters may face. The wildland urban interface poses its own set of challenges and hazards that may not be experienced in wildfires spreading through areas with only vegetation. These locations include a mixture of structures with wildland topography and fuels. As responding firefighters, it is important to be aware of what you may face at these scenes. You will now be working on suppressing the wildfire spreading through the natural vegetation and determining if suppression efforts are safe to enact on structures in the path of the flames.
There are many demands of being a wildland firefighter; you are exposed to arduous elements, push your bodies to physical limits to complete a task, spend extended time away from family and friends, and more. Because of these stresses, it is important to find the right balance to ensure you are giving yourself the best opportunity to get the job done while keeping yourself safe from unnecessary risk. Efforts should be made before responding to incidents, such as staying physically and mentally fit to keep your body in shape and ready for the demanding conditions of the position. When on the scene, actively participate in daily briefings to be aware of important details on the fire you are approaching, and after action reviews to learn about areas of improvement and successes.
Course Type: Full-length Course
Course Duration: 60 min
