Smith County Fire Marshal attends national training

SMITH COUNTY — Smith County Fire Marshal Chad Hogue was one of 30  professionals nationwide to be selected to participate in a Wildland Fire Investigator Course in Redding, California. “The class exceeded my expectations. It was a privilege to have instructors with so much knowledge and experience in the wildland fire investigation field,” Hogue said. “The U.S. Forest Service and CAL FIRE personnel are topnotch and I’m excited to bring back what I’ve learned and share it with local fire investigators.” The training was offered September 25-29, 2023, by the U.S. Fire Administration/National Fire Academy, U.S. Forest Service and California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

The five-day class was held at the Northern California Training Center and instructors from the U.S. Forest Service and CAL FIRE led the classes on Wildland Fire Origin and Cause Determination. The training was paid for by the National Fire Academy.

The participants worked in teams and spent many hours working on a scenario, complete with live fire. According to California National Forests, it’s all about “Preparation, Logistics and Live Fire Training.” They gather situational awareness, collect evidence, comb the fire scene for clues, interview witnesses and write a report. The day’s events include role players, props, fire engines, water and flames. Hundreds of hours go into the logistics, support, and preparation each year, making it the most realistic wildland fire scenario as it can possibly be.