Fire training: Molalla hosting wildland fire training event

More than 160 firefighters from 28 fire agencies from around the Willamette Valley and Portland-metro area will be in Molalla May 31 and June 1 for the 13th annual Metro Advanced Wildland School (MAWS).

The Friday-Saturday training is designed to train structural firefighters on wildland firefighting techniques. These firefighters will not only learn wildland firefighting techniques but will be able to use this training to complete some certification requirements that are needed for them to be able to respond throughout Oregon and neighboring states.

Techniques will include the use of hand tools, radio communications with a helicopter doing water drops, triaging homes, and extinguishing controlled live fire.

As part of the training, there will also be 25 fire personnel serving as the incident management team. Most of these firefighters are also there to gain experience and complete certifications for managing large-scale and complex incidents.

“This training is valuable to help prepare them for responses in their own fire jurisdiction and as part of the Oregon State Fire Marshal’s incident management team program,” noted Richard Saalsaa, public information officer. “While we have had a good amount of rain this wet season, firefighters have already seen fires occur throughout Oregon. Currently, there is a 6,340-acre wildland fire that is burning in Klamath County (Little Yamsay).”

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.