CHEPACHET, R.I. (WJAR) — The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management is hosting its annual wildland firefighting training class this week.

It marks the third straight year the course has been taught in Rhode Island.

Twenty-two trainees are learning skills necessary to help on the frontlines during emergencies. During the previous two years combined, DEM said 46 people had taken the course.

The goal is to increase capacity statewide to respond to wildfires.

"Last fall we had an unprecedented fire season. That's not going to change anytime soon," Fire Control Officer Ben Arnold said. "We're always going to have a need for more firefighters in the state."

This year's class includes a mix of DEM employees, firefighters from local agencies, and a few others.

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"They're learning a lot of safety practices, they're learning a lot about wildland fire gear, they're learning how to suppress fires with or without water, and most of the skills they will need for the entry level firefighter position," Arnold said.

James McNamee, DEM's deputy director for the Bureau of Natural Resources, is taking the course this year.

"I wanted to learn more about it and be able to help if there ever was anything to happen in the state," McNamee said.

He remembers the large fires in April 2023 in Exeter and West Greenwich.

"It didn't feel good to me to be kind of sitting on the sidelines," McNamee said. "I actually volunteered to help afterwards, to help them pull the hose out of the woods, but I wanted to do more than that so that's why I did this."

"The more boots on the ground we can put with training like this class, the better off we can be," Arnold said.