FILE PHOTO - New recruits create a hand guard, a tool used to help prevent wildfires from spreading.

(JENNIFER STAHN / iNFOnews.ca)

KAMLOOPS - Kamloops high school students have a chance to get wildfire firefighter training next month.

The Kamloops Thompson School District and B.C. Wildfire Service are asking interested high school students to sign up for the new Junior Fire Crew workshop, according to a school district media release.

The three-day workshop is a hands-on learning experience designed to give students an idea of what to expect if they want to join wildfire crews as a summer job. Though no actual fire will be involved in the workshop, other aspects like using firefighting gear and spending time outdoors will be covered, the district says.

The workshop will take place from Thursday, April 25 to Saturday, April 27, from 8:00 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. each day.

“Working on a fire crew during the summer season is a viable way to pay for university,” vice principal Rob Weilgoz says in the release. “If you are in grade 12, you are physically fit and you want to learn how this work could become a recurring summer job to take you through your post-secondary studies, this is where you can find out what you need to know.”

There are up to 12 spaces available for students aged 16 to 18 as of April 24, 2019. Students will be required to pass a mandatory fitness test on April 11. There is also a mandatory orientation for students and caregivers on April 18 that will go over the workshop expectations.

The cost is $60 per student, and participants will need their own pair of sturdy outdoor footwear. Meals and safety equipment will be supplied.

The deadline for application is Monday, April 8. 

See the application form here for more information.

To contact a reporter for this story, email Shelby Thevenot or call (250) 819-6089 or email the editor You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.

We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won’t censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above. 

News from © iNFOnews, 2019