The recent fires around the country in California, Hawaii and even North Dakota just a few months ago, have emphasized a growing need for wildland firefighters. Fighting fires is dangerous work, which makes proper training vital. To get that expertise, Bismarck State College is offering Wildland Firefighter Type 2 Training through TrainND Southwest. The certification requires a 45-hour commitment to provide students with on-the-job training for an entry-level position as a wildland firefighter. “I always say you take S-130, 190, and then you get a job somewhere and then you learn a bunch on the job training, but it’s this class that helps you kind of get into that,” said Hunter Noor, wildland fire operations AFMO. These firefighters are trained to deal with fires outside of structures— like the Bear Den, Elkhorn, and Williams County fires which blazed through 140,000 acres of North Dakota wildland in October of 2024. “There’s an abundant need for wildland firefighters,” said TrainND manager Brian Ellersick. “North Dakota Forest Service reached out to us because we have the classrooms, we have the reach, we have the infrastructure to put on the training, and with their expertise, I think we’re able to put together a great product.”
