Boundary County firefighters conducting live fire training this weekend

Boundary County firefighters will be participating in live fire training Saturday and Sunday, July 9-10 in the vicinity of the 3-Mile junction intersection of U.S. 95 and U.S. 2.

Firefighters will be setting buildings on fire and extinguishing them repeatedly over the weekend.

Members of the public should be aware that smoke, flames, and emergency vehicle activity in the area southeast of the highway junction, near 509909 Hwy 95, is part of the organized training and does not require an emergency response.

The purpose of the training is for county firefighters to gain experience in a controlled training environment, build confidence in their abilities and equipment, and practice tactics, techniques, and procedures for entering a burning building and attacking a structure fire.

By training together, county firefighters also build trust and confidence with each other and establish relationships that are priceless in an environment where almost every structure fire will involve multiple response agencies and mutual aid.

Fire agencies involved include North Bench Fire Association, Hall Mountain Volunteer Fire Department, Curley Creek Volunteer Fire Department, Paradise Valley Fire District, South Boundary Fire District, and Bonners Ferry City Fire Department. The Idaho State Fire Marshal’s Office is involved in the training and will be on scene and firefighters will be provided food, water and shade by the Boundary County Chaplain’s Corps “Angel One” support crew.

The Kootenai Tribe of Idaho has generously donated the buildings being used as live fire training structures for this effort. The structures will be burned to the ground on Sunday.