GRAND RAPIDS, Minn. (Northern News Now) - More than 400 students from across the Midwest are suiting up this week for the annual Wildfire Academy in Grand Rapids, Minnesota—one of the largest wildland fire training events in the state.

While the training may be part of an academy, students are being pushed through real-world scenarios, donning full protective gear and learning how to handle the kind of conditions they’ll face in the field.

The week-long program immerses participants in hands-on instruction, such as setting up pumps, constructing fire lines, operating machinery, and understanding fire behavior. Chainsaws echoed across the grounds as future wildland firefighters got to work under the watchful eyes of seasoned instructors.

“The fire activity overall and the intensity the f

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