Guard members prepare for 2025 wildland fire season

Guard members prepare for 2025 wildland fire season

By Staff Sgt. Meredith Vincent
122nd Theater Public Affairs

SELAH, Wash. - The clouds parted, the drizzle paused and a welcome patch of bright blue sky could be seen by the more than 60 service members gathered at Ahtanum State Forest in central Washington for their final day of wildland firefighting training Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024.

Soldiers and Airmen from the Washington National Guard came together to train on wildland firefighting techniques in preparation for next year's fire season. Firefighting instructors from the Washington State Department of Natural Resources Wildland Firefighting Academy were on site throughout the weekend to guide service members during two days of both online and hands-on training.

Washington's wildland fire season typically begins early July and ends early October. However, wildland fires can and have occurred during any month of the year, so preparation is essential all year round.

"I want to be ready," said U.S. Army Spc. Kortni MacDonald, an intelligence analyst for Alpha Company, 156th Information Operations Battalion, 56th Theater Information Operations Group, Washington National Guard. "I know that wildland fires are pretty heavy here in the state of Washington, especially during the season, and on the off chance we do get deployed, I want to be prepared for it."

MacDonald said she believed the partnership between the two entities is incredibly beneficial for the instructors, the trainees and, overall, the state of Washington.

"This is super valuable not only for us, but for the firefighters who are training us too," she explained. "So they can see how we would all work together as a team."

Service members who complete the training earn their 'Red Card' certification, allowing them to respond to potential crises and help protect land, property and most importantly, lives.

"[The instructors] are super communicative," MacDonald added. "They are very direct and clear and concise in exactly what they want us to do, and if we do it wrong, they come over and show us immediately."

MacDonald is a recent addition to the 156th IO Battalion and still considers herself new to the National Guard and her unit. She said participating in important events like the wildland firefighting training boosts her confidence and helps her get to know her fellow teammates better.

"This is the first time I've gotten to go out and do something with them," she said. "So getting to know them and them getting to know me better was my favorite part."