SCOTTSDALE, AZ — The Scottsdale Fire Department held hands-on wildland fire training, showing crews how to perform bump-and-run coverage, lay hose lines, extend them out, and use hand tools to set up containment lines.
Those containment lines start with crews cutting away vegetation by hand.
"So the whole objective is to cut away any green material," Scottsdale firefighter Jack Renner said during the training.
The work on the ground is what drives the containment percentages reported during wildfires.
"Then you start getting those 10, 15 percent containments — those are actually boots on the ground putting their hands in the dirt," firefighter Issak Duran said.
Progressive hose lays can stretch miles into a firefight, extending water access deep into areas with no easy refill. Crews must decide how much water to use at any given moment, choosing between fog type mist, or a full blast, much like adjusting a garden hose.
"We like to use fog in the light flashy fuels because in these desert fires a little bit of water goes a long way, so we try not to expend our tank," Renner told a participant Thursday.
Behind the action is hours of preparation, including assessing what resources are available and whether it is safe to send crews into certain areas. Planning also includes worst-case scenarios, such as the use of personal fire shelters when flames get too close.
Despite the intensity of the training, Arizona saw relatively little wildfire activity this year.
"This year was one of the lowest years for fires in the entire state of Arizona in the last 21 years," said Scottsdale Fire Department Public Information Officer Dave Folio.
The training does not stop. Thursday morning's session, led by Fire Captain Blake Miller, Renner, Duran, Johnny Geraci III, Wyatt Leclair and Courtney Waters also drew community leaders, who heard presentations from Assistant Fire Chief Clint Steeves, McDowell Sonoran Preserve Director Jenna Kohl, Scottsdale Solid Waste Director Dave Bennett and Waste Management on how to clear flammable materials around homes. Residents looking to clear debris have access to a free option.
"They offer bulk pickup for free. If you're clearing debris around your house, you can put it out on your curb," Folio said.
The goal is for the community members and leaders to take what they learned back to their neighbors.
"Conveying that back to our community is just really important. It couples with us using Firewise. I'm excited to bring this knowledge back to the community and maybe get them involved if they do this again next year," said Kevin McDonald, a training participant who is the Director of Security for Desert Mountain HOA.
