Ashland Prescribed Fire Training Exchange - TREX

The Ashland Forest Resiliency (AFR) team will be hosting a Prescribed Fire Training Exchange (TREX) May 9-21, 2016. The intent of this training is to provide opportunities for local and regional firefighters, scientists and managers to work and train together, build their experience in prescribed fire practices, fire effects, and other conservation efforts affecting forests and grasslands in southwestern Oregon.

The training will be organized as an incident, using the Incident Command System. Participants will serve in qualified and trainee firefighting positions on a burn team and will assist with preparing, scouting, briefing, igniting, holding, mop-up and patrol on numerous controlled burns in the area. We will also complete pre- and post-fire monitoring, train with equipment, practice fireline leadership skills and learn about local fire ecology and fire management. The work will take place in and around the City of Ashland. Burning in the Ashland watershed will be the priority, but other areas on nearby federal and private lands will also be burned. The training will include field trips to areas burned in recent wildfires and to prescribed fire and fuels treatment project sites, as well as presentations from local scientists, land managers and practitioners. In addition, participants will practice preparing for interviews with local media.