Wildfire Training Expands Across U.S. Ahead of Critical Fire Season

Wildland firefighter training is intensifying across the U.S. as agencies prepare for increasingly severe wildfire seasons. In Arizona, training academies are equipping new firefighters with hands-on skills and have joined an interstate compact to streamline deployment across state lines, reflecting rising fire incidents. Mississippi's Forestry Commission offers immersive heavy equipment training to bolster wildfire response capabilities, while California and Colorado are focusing on aerial firefighting skills through joint exercises involving National Guard and federal agencies. The Colorado Fire and Aviation Summit and similar events underscore the importance of coordinated, cross-jurisdictional training to manage wildfires that transcend property and governmental boundaries. Additionally, local agencies like the Monterey Fire Department are holding annual urban interface wildfire trainings to protect homes at the wildland-urban edge. These efforts collectively highlight a nationwide emphasis on comprehensive, collaborative training to address the escalating threat of wildfires.