Lakeview, OR, June 13, 2024—Fire agencies across South-Central Oregon will host the 2024 Carmen Thomas Memorial Guard School June 17th -21st. New wildland firefighters from multiple agencies will partake in a weeklong training consisting of both classroom/field exercises. Guard school will give these new firefighters the principles and techniques related to wildland firefighting.
Students will learn the basic skills needed to become a wildland firefighter such as how to properly deploy a fire shelter, water handling, proper radio use, fire behavior, and correct use of hand tools and equipment for fire line construction.
The Bly Ranger District will conduct an exercise with 1-2 acres of live fire on June 21, 2024, where each student will have the opportunity to demonstrate and apply the skills they have learned throughout the week. The live fire exercise will take place approximately 5 miles west of the town of Bly, on the south side of Highway 140, within the Bly Ridge Wildland Urban Interface prescribed fire project area. Qualified fire resources will remain on scene until the fire has been extinguished.
Visitors and the communities of Pinecrest and Bly may observe smoke in the area as the exercise is carried out. Fire operations are scheduled to be completed on the same day.
Graduates from Guard School will have a core of skills to rely on to aid in protecting communities from the effects of catastrophic wildfires as South-Central Oregon moves further into fire season.
For more information on the upcoming 2024 fire season and current fire restrictions, visit the South Central Oregon Fire Management Partnership at https://scofmp.org/.
