The N.C. Forest Service (NCFS) is holding Piedmont Training Academy for N.C. Forest Service rangers and foresters Monday, Dec. 8 through Friday, Dec. 12, at Sandhills Community College in Moore County and Stan Adams Training Center in Chatham County. Training courses will cover a variety of wildland firefighting emergency response roles and operations such as initial attack, incident command, basic air operations and field leadership. 

“Training is paramount, and it’s critical that we continue expanding the experience level for all NCFS employees as we work to polish our tactics and broaden our capabilities,” said Brad Allen, assistant regional forester for N.C. Forest Service Region 2. “We’re still a few weeks away from the end of the year and our personnel have already responded to nearly 6,200 wildfires that burned more than 30,000 acres across the state in 2025. It’s important to note that most of those wildfires were held to just a few acres or less and these training courses are a big reason for that success.”

Training courses will feature field operations where students will receive authentic scenarios in a controlled environment to better equip NCFS personnel when responding to wildfires and other emergency situations and disasters. Sandhills Community College will host L-280: Followship to Leadership, S-200: Initial Attack Incident Commander and S-270: Basic Air Operations while L-380: Fireline Leadership will take place at Stan Adams Training Center at Jordan Lake Educational State Forest.

The mission of the N.C. Forest Service is to protect, manage and promote forest resources for the citizens of North Carolina. Learn more at www.ncforestservice.gov.

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