REDMOND, OR -- Redmond Fire plans to conduct a training burn Saturday, November 5th at a house on SW 23rd, behind Redmond High School. 

Training Captain Bill Welch says it allows recruits to practice key skills, “Fire behavior observation, we’re training on moving a charged hose line through a complicated floor plan - not just a simple in and out straight shot - and we’re training on fire attack methods, as well as some more search evolutions.”

There will be much activity during the ‘burn to learn’ operation.  “You’re going to see lots of fire engines and ambulances there. We’re conducting the training burn starting at 8, and hopefully being done by 12:30 or 1. So, you’re going to see smoke in the area, they’re going to see fire as we let that building go fully engulfed,” says Welch.

Four new recruits from other agencies and three college students will practice pulling hose lines through a home, as well as fire attack and search methods. The operation is at a house behind Redmond High; its School District property donated to the fire department for training purposes. “We have some training facilities here at Redmond Fire, but nothing like an actual fire to go train in, and burn,” notes Welch adding, “There will be smoke and fire in the area. We won’t give that back to the school district until we’re sure that it’s not going to cause any more smoke. We’ll get the road closures lifted as soon as we can.”

SW 23rd between Highland and Glacier will be closed during the burn.