The Cortes Island Fire Department is creating a new Wildfire Brigade to serve the community.

It’s function will be to support the department during major wildfire events, with wildland firefighting, structural protection, and support tasks. In a deployment Wildland members will work in teams supervised by department officers or team leaders.

Cortes residents, including summer residents, who are able to attend training sessions and meet minimum medical and fitness requirements are eligible to apply. If you run, play soccer, exercise, or do physical work you should have no trouble with the fitness test.

Wildfire Brigade members will undergo the provincially mandated basic training consisting of the S100 and S185, plus department safety and communications training. Online ICS100 training is also required. Basic training for this year will be held Thursday and Friday, Aug 17-18 from 8:30 till 4:30. ICS100 normally takes 3-5 hours to complete, and is a self paced online course.

The annual training schedule will include basic training (or refresher as applicable) once per year, plus 2 to 4 practice nights.

There is no cost to join, and all training and required equipment will be supplied by the department.

Applications will be accepted until August 10th, and the maximum class size for this year is 20. Please email chiefcortesfire.org for more information, or to request an application form.

Elijah McKenty,

Cortes Island Fire Chief




photo by San Bernardino County Fire - Facebook - San Bernardino County Fire, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=94119411