CAL FIRE seasonal training academy begins early due to wet winter, increased fire fuels

CAL FIRE is getting ready for the summer fire season across the Bay Area.

A seasonal firefighter training academy is happening earlier than usual this year, all due to a wet winter and spring that's creating a lot of fuel for fire. Those tall weeds and grasses are drying out quickly.

New and returning seasonal firefighters were getting a major workout on Wednesday, learning skills at CAL FIRE's training academy this week for the Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit.

Casey Frazier is returning for his fifth year as a seasonal firefighter.

"Our response area is the entire state of California, so when you show up for work, you don't know where you're going to end up--three days at the station, or all the sudden we're down in LA," Frazier said.

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The devastating LA wildfires proved that fire season is year-round in California, even in January. Being ready to go at anytime is what these firefighters are training for in real time.

"Doing these hose lays is what we do up and down the state. This evolution is our bread and butter. We're doing that all day and night," Frazier said.

The weeklong training academy is happening a month early this year, CAL FIRE says after a wet winter, there's no time to waste reducing a lot of fuel that's out there.

"This will help us get out there during the peak opportunity and do some fuel mitigation work, shaded fuel brakes and burning piles," said CAL FIRE Battalion Chief Nate Deurloo.

This unit will soon be fully staffed for summer but more firefighters are needed statewide due to promotions and attrition.

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"We're continuously hiring year-round," Deurloo said.

These drills are tough and demanding and not every firefighter will make it to the end of the training academy.

"Right now, we have a good success rate, but this is a tough academy," Deurloo said.

There's no predicting what this summer's fire season will bring so being prepared is the only option.

"Practice our skills and just get ready," Frazier said.