Dan McEachern, of Pittsburgh, a student in Butler County Community College's park and recreation management program, uses a drip torch to light a backfire while pursuing national firefighting credentials. The controlled burn exercise took place Nov. 8 on a remote tract of the college's main campus in Butler Township.

Students in a Butler County Community College forestry class had the opportunity in November to earn National Wildfire Coordinating Group certifications in training sessions that were assessed by the state Bureau of Forestry.

The students went to a remote tract of land near BC3's main campus in early November, where they got to practice containment measures with a controlled burn.

During the exercise, students created a “hand line” with council rakes, McLeod tools and Pulaski axes, and learned other techniques to extinguish a wildland fire.

“We actually get to be out here,” said Dan Faller of Cranberry Township, whose goal is to work as a ranger, “and put out the fire ourselves.”

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