Dates:
Lake TREX Kickoff: Prescribed Fire & Cultural Burning - March 14 - Register Now
Prescribed Fire & Cultural Burning Field Day - March 15 - Register Now
Burn Planning Workshop - April 23 - 24 - Register Now
More events planned, dates TBD summer / fall
Burns will be on-call throughout the fall/winter burn season
(November 2022 through March 2023).
Who can participate: The event is for individuals interested in improving their fire knowledge and becoming better practitioners of good fire. Beginners, non-professionals, and fire professionals are all welcome and will benefit from this training exchange. The event will be focused on local capacity building within Lake County and surrounding areas.
No prior experience or training is necessary. However, individuals are encouraged to complete the basic wildland firefighting NWCG courses S-130, S-190, L-180 and FEMA courses ICS-100 and IS-700. A work capacity test and a practice shelter deployment will be offered during the event for those who need it. Some burning opportunities will only be available to participants who have the training listed above For more information, see the “Basic Wildland Firefighter Training” section below.
Description: The Lake TREX training offers training throughout the year, with a goal of building our capacity to have an on-call burn crew by next Good Fire season. Upcoming events include:
1) March 14 - Lake TREX Kickoff Event: Prescribed Fire & Cultural Burning Conference - $30, includes lunch
2) March 15 - Prescribed Fire & Cultural Burning Field Day - $15, no lunch included
3) April 23 - 24 Burn Planning Workshop - In the Field - $30, no lunch included
3) Firefighter Type 2 Training in Summer / Fall. Dates TBD.
4) Pre-Fire Training in Fall. Dates TBD. Two immersive three-day weekends of fire study. These weekend trainings will focus on building a local prescribed fire crew, and will incorporate hands-on field scenarios, fireline leadership skills, local fire ecology, cultural burning and fire management. NWCG Course S-219 Firing Operations and the Fireline Refresher RT-130 will also be offered.
Training topics will include:
Building a prescribed fire team
Operational field scenarios
How to assemble and care for fireline equipment like pumps, hoses, fittings and drip torches.
How to take weather and fuel observations
Indicators for when a landscape or patch of ground is ready to burn
Reading the landscape to tell where fire would be beneficial
Understanding some cultural objectives for using fire (e.g., tribal objectives, pyro-silvicultural objectives)
Fire ecology and its interaction with climate science
These weekends are designed to not require live fire, but if an excellent burn window presents itself, we will take advantage of it and burn together to learn together!
NOTE ON PRE-REQUISITES: While we are not requiring Firefighter Type II certification to attend the Pre-Fire Training , we STRONGLY encourage it. See below for more info.
4) On-Call Prescribed Fire Crew: Participants who complete the Pre-Fire Training in the fall will be on-call for prescribed fire training opportunities through February 2023. Timing of individual burns will depend on weather windows. Participants will assist with preparing, scouting, briefing, igniting, holding, fire effects monitoring, mop-up, and patrol on prescribed burns. The work will take place in diverse ecosystems, including on private and tribal lands.
Do I need Firefighter Type II (or above) qualifications to participate? You don't need to be qualified as a Firefighter II qualifications to participate in the training weekends or any non-fire events. When we start getting burn windows, you do need Firefighter Type II to join burns on Federal lands and on some private lands. If you don't have Firefighter Type II qualifications yet and you'd like to grow your fire learning opportunities by getting one, scroll down to see options for getting your coursework done before the TREX event.
Registration: Registration will be required for pre-burn trainings (registration coming in Summer 2022; please sign up for our newsletter at the bottom of this page if you’d like to receive a notice when Pre-Fire Trainings are announced). Once you complete the training, you will be on our on-call list and we will reach out to let you know when burns are happening, and we’ll ask that you RSVP to the burn.
Logistics: Most or all meals will be on your own, so expect to bring your own food and water. All participants are expected to be self-sufficient for a 72 hour period. The most up-to-date Covid-19 safety protocols will be adhered to, including but not limited to mask wearing, social distancing, and frequent hand washing. Participation will be limited to individuals traveling from low-risk areas and/or those willing to practice isolation prior to the training weekend.
Questions: Email any questions to
[log in to unmask] Basic Wildland Firefighter Training Options to meet NWCG standards for Firefighter Type 2 (FFT2)
(also known as “Firefighter Type II” or “Basic 32 Classes” or “Red Card”)
-----In Person Option-----
The Tribal EcoRestoration Alliance (TERA), in partnership with The Watershed Research and Training Center, is hosting an in-person Basic Wildland Firefighter Training over two weekends in the summer. There are limited seats available, so please inquire about this ASAP if you are interested.
-----Self-Study Online Option------
There are five classes (S-130, S-190, L-180, IS-100, IS-700).
These courses will take approximately 30 hours to complete.
The first three NWCG classes can be found online at https://www.nwcg.gov/publications/training-courses. You will need to find these classes in the list and follow them to their online delivery.
The IS-100 is here https://training.fema.gov/is/courseoverview.aspx?code=IS-100.c,
The IS-700 here https://training.fema.gov/is/courseoverview.aspx?code=IS-700.b.
The last two classes are FEMA classes, so you will be prompted to create a FEMA SID (student identification number). You will also be asked for a DOMAIN, please select NWCG. There is nothing to it, just follow the steps and it will generate your number and send you back to the main page.
Once you have completed the classes and pass the quizzes, it will generate a certificate for each class. Please save these in your personal files for the rest of your career! Documentation of your trainings is very important. You will also be prompted to submit these certificates during the registration process for the event.
**In addition to the Basic 32 online classes, you will need a field day, a shelter deployment, and an arduous pack test. If you attend the Cal-TREX event, we can make sure you receive this additional training.
To Stay "Current" in your Qualification:
You will need to complete the RT-130 annually. This is a 1/2 day worth of training.
You will need to deploy a practice shelter once a year (usually done at the RT-130).
You will need to take the arduous level work capacity test every year.
You will need to participate in a prescribed fire or wildfire within 5 years of taking the Basic wildland firefighting classes.
For those who have registered for TREX, a pack test will be offered on the fall Pre-Fire Training days.
Lake County Cal-TREX made possible with funding from PG&E Better Together Resilient Communities Grant Program & the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection as part of the California Climate Investments Program through a Fire Prevention Grant to the Clear Lake Environmental Research Center.
For more information, hit the read more button below.
