IDAHO CITY, Idaho — As wildfire season begins in Idaho and the Northwest, firefighters have been training this spring, preparing for what could be months on the fire line.

Near Idaho City, KTVB followed multiple agencies on a prescribed burn exercise in the Boise National Forest. 

Smoke filled the forest as crews worked to put out a prescribed burn, one of the final steps before officially becoming a wildland firefighter.

The exercise was part of Southwest Idaho Fire Training, a program that brings together participants from multiple agencies for classroom instruction, physical testing and hands-on wildfire suppression training.

This prescribed burn day was led by Colby Bertalotto, Assistant Fire Management Officer for the Mountain Home Ranger District with Boise National Forest. 

The day started with a briefing, to discuss conditions, the weather forecast and the overall plan.

Once conditions met established safety parameters, trainees were tasked with locating the fire, hiking into the area and suppressing it much like they would on an actual wildfire.

The work, however, begins long before firefighters step onto a burn site. Participants spend days learning about fire behavior, weather, suppression tactics, teamwork and communication. 

Kaylee Fritchen, a wilderness ranger with the Payette National Forest, took part in the training to earn her wildland fire certification. She said the classroom portion helped prepare participants for the realities of working on a fire line.

“This fire course up until today did prepare us really well to focus on communication, how to communicate properly when you’re on the line and in the field,” Fritchen told KTVB.

Instructors said communication and teamwork are among the most important lessons firefighters learn.

“Learning a lot about that teamwork and camaraderie, and just how much more effective you are working together as a crew versus one person,” Bertalotto said.

The live-fire exercise gave trainees a chance to apply those lessons in the field. Crews hiked through the mountains to the burn site, carried equipment and built containment lines by removing vegetation and digging down to mineral soil, creating a barrier designed to stop flames from spreading.

The work is physically demanding. Firefighters often hike miles into remote areas while carrying packs that can weigh 60 to 70 pounds. Their gear may include fire-resistant clothing, heavy-duty boots, hard hats, fire shelters, food, water, navigation equipment and communication devices.

Bertalotto said the exercise provides only a glimpse of the demands firefighters face throughout the season. “It can be tough. It’s a physical job.”

Fritchen agreed, noting that even during the training exercise, crews experienced difficult conditions.

“We were receiving a lot more of the smoke, and it’s hard to be in that environment,” she said.

Although the prescribed burn was conducted in a controlled setting, instructors emphasized that fire always carries risk. “This is a little bit more of a controlled environment, but there are factors we can’t control,” Bertalotto said.

For new firefighters, the training serves as the foundation of their careers. But veteran firefighters said the learning does not stop once certification is complete.

“Even a 20-year firefighter, every day can be training,” Bertalotto said. “You learn something every day.”

That mindset continues long after rookie training ends. Whether responding to a wildfire or preparing for one, readiness is a year-round responsibility.

“Even when we’re not on fires, you’re always preparing for the next one,” Bertalotto said.