36 minutes ago Emily Halling , Adam Jagunich ,

GRAND RAPIDS, Minn.– More than 400 students are attending the Wildfire Academy this year. It’s located at Minnesota North College Itasca Campus.

As for the drive to join this line of work, it’s different for everybody.

“Well, living in northeastern Minnesota, there’s a lot of fire, and there’s a need for support. I work for Superior National Forest, and I’ve got a lot of great workers that do fire. But in my previous roles, I never had the opportunity to get red carded. So, I’m excited to be with the forest and be able to serve in another way,” said Michelle De Leon, a wildfire academy student.

The intensive week-long academy covers classroom learning catered to both beginner and experienced wildfire fighters. The students are pr

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