Prescribed Fire Training
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Fire Training CoursesFEBRUARY 2026
S130 Field Day
Date: February 12, 2026 Cost: $380 Location: Lost Valley Visitor Center 6316 Harts Rd Ringwood, IL Contact and register: Kathy Bott or Jackie Bero Prerequisite You must complete the online portion of the S-130 course prior to attending (about 20 hours). Directions are on the attached flyer. Description The Illinois Fire Service Institute will be running the field portion of the National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) S-130 course Basic Wildland Firefighter Training. The field day will involve hands-on exercises with water handling, hand tool use, firing devices, and other topics covered in the online S-130 course. This does not include the pack test. The S-130 and S-190 courses are required by most county, state, and federal natural resources agencies, so this is a great opportunity for aspiring natural resource professionals. Bring a lunch, water bottles and be prepared for hiking outdoors. We will still do all field activities in less-than-ideal weather. Students and aspiring natural resources professionals - you may use this training certificate to participate on McHenry County Conservation District prescribed burns without registering as a volunteer. Download flyer MARCH 2026
S219 Ignition Operation
Date: March 4-5, 2026 Cost: $375 Location: Lost Valley Visitor Center 6316 Harts Rd Ringwood, IL Contact and register: Kathy Bott or Jackie Bero Prerequisite Participants must complete 5 hours of online coursework AND these NWCG courses prior to attending: S-130 Firefighter Training online portion, S-190 Introduction to Wildland Fire Behavior, ICS-100 Introduction to ICS, L-180 Human Factors in the Wildland Fire Service. Description The Illinois Fire Service Institute instructors will introduce the roles and responsibilities of a firing boss (FIRB), common firing devices, and general firing operations and technique in accordance with federal training standards defined by the National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG). Bring a lunch, water, and be prepared for field exercises outdoors. Download flyer |
Midwest Fire Training
Fire Education CoursesFox Valley Technical College
Natural Resources Program Information
Southern Illinois University
Instructor Charles Ruffner
Morton Arboretum
Check the Adult Programs list to look for current offerings of the course. Chicago Wilderness offers the Midwest Ecological Prescription Burn Crew Member Training class online through The Morton Arboretum. Based on the National Wildfire Coordinating Group’s (NWCG) S-130 and S-190 courses, this two-day training covers the basics of such topics as fire behavior, controlled burn techniques, and smoke management. The objective is to provide participants with the background necessary to safely participate on the crew of a controlled burn. Please be aware that although the training is accepted by many of the natural resource management agencies in the Chicago Wilderness region as the minimum training required for a participant on a burn crew, it does not carry the official NWCG certification. This class can be taken as a supplement to the Natural Areas Conservation Training Program in natural areas management. |
A 14-day workshop was designed to achieve live fire operations so participants could experience leadership opportunities in wildland fires. Doing this workshop, participants learned to manage uncontrolled wildfires on the pine savannas of Deep River Forest Reserve, Belize.
UPDATED 01/2026