Firefighters receive special training to combat wildfires near urban communities

With wildfires becoming more common and closer to communities near forests and grasslands, the International Association of Fire Fighters said it's time to think outside the box.

Firefighters from across Canada have gathered in Strathcona County to learn more about responding to wildland fires in urban areas.

The county is the first Canadian community in 2024 to host the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) Responding to the Interface (RTI) program to further their specialized training in fighting wildfires that burn in areas where communities meet grasslands and forests.

On Tuesday, firefighters took part in an operational readiness exercise, acting as if a wildfire was coming towards the Busenius Estates neighbourhood in the county directly east of Edmonton.

With wildfires becoming more common and closer to communities near forests and grasslands, one of the trainers said it’s time to think beyond the 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,” said Mark Brise, master instructor with International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF).

A key difference Brise pointed out: having to be nimble and switch directions quickly.

Wildland firefighters are not attached to a fire hydrant and staying in one spot.

“They’re pulling their hose lines, they’re spraying the targets that we’ve identified for them, and then they’re quickly reloading their hose lines.”