North Cowichan will host firefighters from around the Island on the weekend for urban interface wildfire training.
The municipality says 14 fire departments from Vancouver Island will be in town Sunday, May 30, for the Engine Boss Leader Course.
Because of COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, the training sessions this year are being held regionally to limit travel by firefighters around the province.
The training is designed to help municipal fire crews prepare for the wildfire season and help fire departments meet requirements laid out for wildfire deployments by the Office of the Fire Commissioner of BC.
Firefighters face simulations of the conditions, requirements and procedures they would encounter on an actual urban wildfire “interface” blaze.
These interface fires happen in areas where the natural environment and residential neighbourhoods intermingle.
The training sessions will take place in two spots in North Cowichan.
They are Carmel Drive and Moya Road neighbourhood and Cottonwood Road and Crozier Road neighbourhood in Chemainus.
The fire crews will be using staging areas at Queen Margaret School, the parking lot next to Vancouver Island University, and Fuller Lake Arena.
