Tacoma firefighters were in Fife Tuesday to participate in an exercise designed to hone their skills under live fire conditions.

Firefighters battled the controlled blaze, which was set in a vacant house in the 3900 block of Pacific Highway East. According to a Tacoma Fire Department spokesperson, live fire training in a controlled environment is valuable for developing firefighting skills, as well as helping the department comply with requirements for live-fire training.

During the all-day training exercise, firefighters practiced interior fire attack, hose handling, observing fire behavior, and recovering trapped firefighters. The Tacoma Fire Department’s training center staff coordinated the regulatory aspects of the burn.

Firefighters have conducted similar training exercises in recent years (see “Controlled house fire hones Tacoma firefighters’ skills,” Tacoma Daily Index, Jan. 21, 2014; “Tacoma firefighters hone skills during Fife training burn,” Tacoma Daily Index, Dec. 4, 2014; “Tacoma firefighters hone skills during emergency drill,” Tacoma Daily Index, Nov. 5, 2013; and “Tacoma Fire Department conducts training near I-5,” Tacoma Daily Index, Aug. 20, 2013).

Tacoma firefighters were in Fife Tuesday to participate in an exercise designed to hone their skills under live fire conditions. (PHOTO COURTESY TACOMA FIRE DEPARTMENT)