LOCAL FIREFIGHTERS UNDERGO TRAINING

DURHAM » A smoke plume rose from Midway on Saturday morning, but it was nothing to be concerned about.

Cal Fire-Butte County held a structure fire training exercise that culminated in the burning down of a house.

The house was donated for this purpose by the property owner. They contracted with the county to allow it to be used as a training platform. Firefighters ran multiple scenarios inside the house, observed fire behavior and trained on multiple firefighting

techniques.

There were five evolutions as part of the training. They’d set the inside on fire, practice, discuss what they learned, then light it on fire again. It was only at the end of the training that they let it burn it to the ground.

The people getting trained ranged in experience. Some were brand new firefighters. Others have several years of experience, but have been promoted to new positions.

“But we also have what we call the cadre, the burn cadre, which are firefighters who are here for safety, training and

set up purposes,” Rick Carhart,

public information officer of Cal Fire said.

There were about as many cadres as there were trainees. The training is a win-win for both the firefighters

and the property owners.

“It’s great training. This is an option for people if they need to get rid of a structure,” Carhart said.

“It’s no more than it would cost for them to have us come and burn it down than it would be for them to dismantle this whole thing.”

PHOTOS BY CARIN DORGHALLI — ENTERPRISE-RECORD Incident Commander Tony Brownell of Cal Fire-Butte County gives directions to his crew during a burn training Saturday in Durham.

From left to right, Ethan Elvis, Jeremy Kenkel and Michael Townzen of Cal Fire-Butte County attend a burn training Saturday in Durham.

CARIN DORGHALLI — ENTERPRISE-RECORD Bryan Simpson, a new firefighter, climbs a ladder during a burn training burn Saturday in Durham. This is something he ordinarily may not be able to do until he is more experienced.