Smoke, flames from fire training in Hesperia expected to be visible across High Desert

Rene Ray De La Cruz, Victorville Daily Press
Updated ·2 min read

Smoke and flames from fire training in the Summit Valley area of Hesperia may be visible in some parts of the High Desert.

San Bernardino County Fire officials announced that Monday was the beginning of a four-day Interagency Dozer Academy.

Smoke and flames from fire training in the Summit Valley area of Hesperia may be visible in some parts of the High Desert.
Smoke and flames from fire training in the Summit Valley area of Hesperia may be visible in some parts of the High Desert.

The training is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. north of Highway 173 in Summit Valley, just north of Silverwood Lake.

Residents are advised to use caution in the training area due to fire apparatus making access to the training site, fire officials stated.

Previous training exercises

Previous training exercises have included firefighters honing their skills in bulldozer operations, which fire officials call one of the most unique machines in the wildland firefighting arsenal.

During training periods, fire personnel remained on-site or patrolled the training area. Contingency control lines and plans were also in place.

The 2021 academy included the Orange County Fire Authority, Los Angeles Fire Department, U.S. Forest Service and U.S. Department of Defense.

Smoke and flames from fire training in the Summit Valley area of Hesperia may be visible in some parts of the High Desert. The four-day training is scheduled through Thursday, May 2, 2024.
Smoke and flames from fire training in the Summit Valley area of Hesperia may be visible in some parts of the High Desert. The four-day training is scheduled through Thursday, May 2, 2024.

Forty-five students completed the academy, which incorporated classroom and hands-on training. Candidates fell into one of two classifications: dozer operator and swamper.

A Swamper is an individual who works on foot out ahead of the dozer assessing terrain, conditions and potential hazards that may lie in the blind spots of the bulldozer.

The training involved the operation of large transport trucks which bring the dozers to the scene. This included required DMV pre-trip inspections, CHP requirements for securing heavy equipment to trailers, Code 3 laws and operation, and safety considerations.

Students also received classroom training to become heavy equipment boss trainees, a California fire marshal and a national wildfire coordinating group rating that certifies competency in heavy equipment operations.

Smoke and flames from fire training in the Summit Valley area of Hesperia may be visible in some parts of the High Desert. The four-day training is scheduled through Thursday, May 2, 2024.
Smoke and flames from fire training in the Summit Valley area of Hesperia may be visible in some parts of the High Desert. The four-day training is scheduled through Thursday, May 2, 2024.

Additional training included operational skill building at an San Bernardino fire camp located near Glen Helen Regional Park. Operators and swampers practiced blade work, learning the limits of their equipment, operating on slopes, road construction and winching operations.

Daily Press reporter Rene Ray De La Cruz may be reached at RDeLaCruz@VVDailyPress.com. Follow him on X @DP_ReneDeLaCruz

This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: Smoke, flames from fire training in Hesperia expected to be visible