‘All sorts of camaraderie’: Dozens from across US gather in C.O. for 2 weeks of prescribed fire training, information

(Update: Adding video, comments from TREX participants)

SISTERS, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Dozens of firefighters from across the nation, including Tribal Nations, and Canada are taking part in a two-week prescribed burn training program, right here in Central Oregon.

Wednesday marked Day 3 of a two-week prescribed fire training exchange, also known as TREX.

"These programs are really designed to help facilitate peer-to-peer learning about the active use of prescribed fire, in order to reduce the likelihood that wildfire will result in losses of structures and communities," Thomas Stokley, The Nature Conservancy's forest ecologist, said Wednesday.

More than 40 participants  from agencies, nonprofits and higher education across the U.S., Tribal nations and Canada are part of the exercises, hosted by the Nature Conservancy.

The behavior of fire as it moves through the forest is studied, along with putting out fire on the ground and making sure it doesn't cross a certain line. 

With the help of TREX participants, the Sisters Ranger District conducted up to 28 acres of prescribed burns about three miles south of Sisters. 

Trex participant Madison Anderson said, "It's nice to kind of mix minds and get to know other people and their role in the process."

The prescribed burns are taking place across Central Oregon, including the Bend area.

Stokley said, "I'm really excited to see all the participants learn. Right now, it's like there's already all sorts of camaraderie."

Go to Central Oregon Fire.org to learn more about smoke, safety and prescribed burning in Central Oregon.

Here is a press release from Oregon Living With Fire:

Over 45 participants from various agencies, nonprofits and higher education institutions, from across the U.S., Tribal Nations and Canada have gathered in Central Oregon for a two-week prescribed fire training exchange known as TREX.

Organizers say the training provides opportunities for local and regional fire practitioners, scientists and managers to work side by side while building experience in prescribed fire practices, fire effects, and other conservation and restoration efforts affecting forests.

Participants are scheduled to be trained on and implement scientifically based prescribed burns in Central Oregon.

In a program that began Monday and continues through next week, attendees will be learning about the current application and goals for prescribed fire in Central Oregon. Participants will also learn about fire ecology, fire effects monitoring, Tribal perspectives on cultural uses of fire, prescribed fire smoke management, and interact with local fire staff through classroom, field-based, and live-fire training.

The objective of the two-week TREX program in Central Oregon is to facilitate peer-to-peer, experiential learning for prescribed fire professionals and others interested in advancing their understanding of ecological burning to restore fire-adapted ecosystems.

Richard Pasquale with the Deschutes National Forest, the incident commander for Central Oregon TREX, said he's looking forward to the two weeks because of the “sharing and growth of the prescribed fire practitioner community and their access to networks and knowledge.”

Hosted by The Nature Conservancy, the TREX program is a component of the national Promoting Ecosystem Resilience and Fire Adapted Communities Together Cooperative Agreement between The Nature Conservancy, the USDA Forest Service and the agencies of the Department of Interior.

Participants will learn, practice and share knowledge, skills, and experience in a unique, hands-on training environment. The training includes innovations and best practices shared by a diverse set of fire practitioners, land stewards, conservationists, and resource specialists from a wide array of organizations.

In this way, TREX is a two-way training and learning program, in which everyone is simultaneously a participant, a teacher and a student.

John Punches, an Oregon State University Extension forester and one of the trainers, remarked, “I am amazed at the engagement that occurs at TREX.  With such a breadth of topics that can be covered when it comes to prescribed burning, I love being able to focus on fire effects monitoring during these two weeks.  We are helping prepare a knowledgeable workforce to further this critical work on our landscape.”

More information about TREX can be found at https://www.nature.org/en-us/what-we-do/our-priorities/protect-water-and-land/land-and-water-stories/fire-training-exchanges-expand-controlled-burns/.