N.W.T. residents offer to learn how to fight wildfires

After two months battling forest firesin the bush, fire crewsare exhausted and residents are responding to the call for help.

The N.W.T. Department of Environment and Natural Resources is holding courses in Fort Smith, N.W.T. to train new type 3 wildlandfire crews. They willmop up wildfires, which means they'llmaintain controlled areas and keep fires from re-igniting.The second course begins Fridayand runs forfour days.

Stefanie Miklosovicaced the fitness test to qualify for the course.Last summer she fought fires in British Columbia,working as part of a three-person, initial-attack crew.

"I've just been sitting at the edge of my desk every day, I justwant to get out there and help," she says. "It's just really exciting to see what's going on, how hard everyone is working and get to be a part of it."

Miklosovicworks for the territorial government andresponded when the call went out for employees with experience to volunteer their skills.She jumped at the chance to help out in her home territory and isn'tdeterred by the long days.

"Working with a team and getting to be outdoors and working hard, it sounds like a lot of work but it's always really rewarding when you're done."

There are now about 150 type 3, or emergency firefighters, working in the territory. The new recruits will replace people when contracts expire.They will alsobe helping out at the camps set up for fire crews.

About 55people volunteered to help in Yellowknife and Behchoko.For some, it's a chance to gain new skills.

"It's going to be good, a new experience,"saysGregDryneckofBehchoko. "Help out my community, I guess. There's lots of fire around Edzo."

Ndilo resident Maverick Kenny-Betsina says he's wanted to try firefighting for years.

"One of my cousins is working as a firefighter right now. He says there's a lot of hazards, a lot of danger out there you got to watch out for; split-second reactions you have to watch out for," he says."I'm excited."

There was one training course this week in Fort Smith with a second starting this weekend. Volunteers chosen to participate must be prepared to camp in the bush for about three weeks.

The Department ofEnvironment and Natural Resources says if there's enough interest, there will be athird course starting Aug. 12.