GARWOOD —The area around Hudlow and Rimrock Road was bustling with fire engines, water tenders and dozens of fire personnel Saturday.

Smoke could be seen and smelled throughout the usually quiet residential area. One home burned to the ground, and no one was injured, which meant the Northern Lakes Fire District had a successful day of live training.

"This controlled training exercise is a key part of NLFD's continued efforts to strengthen emergency response capabilities in the northern district," a Dec. 11 press release read.

Firefighters from NLFD, the Timberlake Fire District, and other area agencies participated in six separate burn exercises throughout the day.

The training comes as NLFD is seeing a continual increase in calls for service in the Garwood, Hudlow, Chilco and Twin Lakes areas.

The department responds to more than 6,300 calls each year, according to the press release, indicating a nearly 700% increase since 2000.

“As our district grows, we must continually adapt to meet the level of service our residents expect,” said NLFD Fire Chief Kevin Croffoot. “This training prepares our crews for the challenges of responding in the northern district and demonstrates our commitment to improving service in Garwood and surrounding communities.”

Despite staffed locations at Station 1 in Hayden, Station 2 in Rathdrum, and Engine 523, Station 2 operates from the ARFF station near Atlas and Lancaster, and travel times to the northern outlying communities remain outside NFPA 1710 national standards, according to the press release.

To address increasing demand, NLFD recently hired additional firefighters and will bring on nine more in March. These personnel will staff a fourth engine company in 2026.

However, legal matters are preventing the completion of an unfinished modular station on Pope Road in Garwood that the fourth engine company will operate from.

The 7,000-square-foot facility on the west side of Pope Road has sat vacant since its construction in late 2023 due to ongoing litigation between NLFD and the Alberta-based manufacturing company, EXTREME Modular Buildings. 

The facility was supposed to open at the end of 2023.

"The administration is actively evaluating all available options to temporarily house and staff a fourth station while the status of the modular building in Garwood remains under legal review," the press release said. "This ensures that new staffing and the deployment of a fourth engine company immediately translate into improved response capability for the northern region."

    A firefighter enters a burning structure during a live fire training exercise in the Garwood area on Saturday.
  

    A house in the area of Hudlow Road and Rimrock Rd. was set entirely ablaze on Saturday during live fire training put on by the Northern Lakes Fire District.