By NICK GOSNELL
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The annual wildland fire training for the area is being hosted in Hutchinson this week.
"We have a portion where we talk about the seasonal outlook for the weather," said Hutchinson Fire Captain Troy Mueller. "We have a local meteorologist that comes in and talks about what we're expecting for weather between now and spring green up, which is the bulk of our fire season and what we can expect for conditions which will lead us into what we can expect for fire behavior. We have a portion where we talk about entrapment avoidance, how to avoid being trapped in a wildland fire, whether you're doing structure protection or whether you're actually out fighting fire."
There are also a couple of sections that rotate through new topics each year.
"With the new Tanker 95 we have out at the Hutchinson Airport, we're doing a portion over aviation safety, talking to aircraft, how to utilize aircraft, that sort of thing," Mueller said. "Then, we're doing a section on chainsaw safety and also doing a section on task books, which is the books we work through as you move up in positions in wildland fire, the task books that you have to work through to get your next qualification level."
The class is open to anyone who has taken the initial class and just needs a refresher.
"Generally, we have our eighty some folks from Hutch Fire and then approximately 40-45 outside agency people that come and take the class as well throughout the week," Mueller said.
Hutchinson Fire hosts the class, but it is taught in conjunction with the Kansas Forest Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Five different instructors will teach at least one part of the classes this week.