Hiwassee program trains tomorrow's forest fire crews
By Kristi Cain
MADISONVILLE, Tenn. – As the inferno that devastated over 750,000 acres in Southern Californian is finally reaching containment, students at Hiwassee College are learning how to prevent and control this kind of destruction.
“Those Santa Ana winds are so dangerous,” said Hiwassee College Assistant Professor of Forestry William Edwards. “Our students learn about them in class. They’re very-fast-moving and shift constantly in a climate that’s already arid.”
Edwards heads Tennessee’s only two-year forest technology program at Hiwassee, which, among a selection of highly-specialized courses, teaches forest fire management. Edwards trains his students in every aspect of forest fire management, from weather to topographic map reading, fire suppression techniques and radio communication.
“Safety is the paramount thing I try to teach,” said Edwards. “Number two would be understanding weather phenomena and fire behavior.”
To give students “real world” exposure, Edwards brings in state officials and U.S. Forest Service technicians to his classes. In addition, each year, Edwards enacts a controlled burn over 25 of Hiwassee’s grassy acres.
During the burn, Edwards starts the fire, while state officials plow the fire line around the site – digging up mineral soil that fire won’t burn through. Students then widen the fire line by burning the grass in front of it – a technique used by forest fire fighters around the country called “back fires.”
After the school year, Edwards encourages students to sign up for internships which take them around the nation fighting forest fires.
Although Edwards is not sure if any of his former students are helping the San Diego crews, he actively keeps in touch with many that have helped combat some of the country’s fiercest blazes. This past summer, four of his students were selected by the government to help fight the Gila National Forest fire in New Mexico.
Class of 2004 student Lance Milner of Athens, along with class of 2003 alumnus Andy Mayfield of Athens, class of 1999 alumnus Josh Veal of Coker Creek and class of 1996 alumnus Greg Kirkland of Coker Creek all joined a 20-man crew made up predominantly of forest fire veterans.
“I flew in on a helicopter and could see the smoke billowing from miles away,” said Milner. “I was nervous at first because it was my first fire.”
“The fire that I was on was four acres,” said Milner. “I fought it with seven people who had a lot of experience. Being with them really helped my nervousness.
“We used hand tools and dug a line around the fire to contain it,” said Milner. “We worked pretty close to the fire – five to 10 feet at times. It was really hot, hard work.”
After a successful experience in New Mexico, Milner is hoping for another opportunity to fight forest fires in the summer of 2004.
“My forestry classes let me know what to expect,” said Milner. “There wasn’t much that I didn’t know other than first-hand experience. Now that I’ve had that, I’m not nervous about it any more. I really like the feeling you get from it.”
Edwards said the fact that Milner has been asked to serve on a stand-by crew this summer is a positive sign.
“It indicates that he did a good job with the fire in New Mexico.”
As fire season continues through May 15, Edwards feels there will be ample opportunity to use real life examples to illustrate his classroom principles.
“After the fire at Gila, Andy (Mayfield) went on to Montana,” said Edwards. “He came back and I had him speak to my class. Some of our graduates have been on as many as six different fires.”
In the mean time, Edwards advises homeowners to keep their eye on the weather while avoiding common fire hazards.
“Wind, temperature and humidity are the biggest factors that affect forest fires,” said Edwards. “East Tennessee is generally a safer climate than Southern California, but if the conditions are right, it can cause extreme fire behavior.
“Over the years, people have had yards around their homes where the trees have been cut back to protect against fire and wildlife,” he said.
“Recently, people have gotten away from that. More and more people are building their houses right in the middle of the woods. If you’re going to build in the woods, that’s a risk, especially if you build on a slope.”
Hiwassee College is a coeducational college affiliated with the Holston Conference of the United Methodist Church and is Tennessee’s only residential, private, two-year, liberal arts college.
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