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South Dakota prescribed fire training

EASTERN S.D. — US Fish and Wildlife Service in conjunction with South Dakota Wildland Fire Division, the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Nature Conservancy will be hosting prescribed fire training in the mixed grass prairies of eastern South Dakota. Two sessions will be held April 27-May 6 and May 11-20, 2015.

The host partners and other participating agencies are helping make this event possible at no cost to attendees.

This interagency training event will conduct a series of prescribed burns around the Aberdeen, Huron, Madison and Waubay communities. Improvement of wildlife habitat and range conditions, and reducing the possibility of damaging wildfires are the intended results. Students will be provided with training on how to safely implement prescribed burns.



Participants will serve in qualified and trainee firefighting positions on numerous prescribed burns in the area. Each burn team will assist with preparing, scouting, briefing, igniting, holding, mop-up and patrol of the fire. Other assignments include pre- and post-fire monitoring, various equipment training and fireline leadership skills.

This multi-agency training is a great opportunity for firefighters to work on task books. Qualification for wildland firefighting is based on both the completion of required training and demonstrated successful position performance. Tasks pertaining to tactical decision-making and safety require the trainee to perform the task on an actual wildland fire. Other means of evaluation may be through simulation exercise or other incident/event.



The deadline of March 2, 2015, for registration is fast approaching and space is limited. Interested parties should contact Colby Crawford at colby_crawford@fws.gov to apply. Selected applicants will be notified by March 9, 2015.

South Dakota Wildland Fire can be found on Twitter @SDWildlandFire and on Facebook by searching SD Wildland Fire.

–S.D. Department of Agriculture