ABout Us
Training Firefighters to Battle Wildfires Since 2002
The Sierra Blanca Wildland Fire Academy was founded in 2002 by the Village of Ruidoso Fire Department. We are a non-profit organization that provides wildland fire training to firefighters at an affordable cost. Since its founding, the Sierra Blanca Wildland Fire Academy has evolved and developed into a multi-jurisdictional, multi-agency wildfire academy. From inception, one thing has remained true: It is SBWFA’s mission to provide quality, accessible training to all agencies and individuals. Quality instruction that meets NWCG standards and ensures the production of safe, knowledgeable, and qualified firefighters.
As the risk of wildfires continues to go up, it is important that firefighting professionals fully understand the theories and techniques of modern day wildland firefighting. The Sierra Blanca Wildland Fire Academy’s classes have been designed to provide you with the information and knowledge to safely and effectively fight the fire threats we see today. Our philosophy is that the more professionally trained individuals we have, the better we can serve and protect our communities.
Are you interested in taking a course?
Check our Schedule
Our Mission: Developing Professsionals in Wildland Fire
The mission of the Sierra Blanca Wildland Fire Academy is to develop professional and safe responses in the wildland environment by offering training and education that meets the National Wildfire Coordinating Group Standards. From courses for entry-level firefighters to refresher courses and advanced courses for seasoned professionals, our wildfire academy will prepare firefighters to battle wildfires across the nation. We aim to provide the training and knowledge the firefighting professionals need to make it home safely and to suppress wildland fires more effectively. Our instructors work hard each year to provide quality education that will keep communities safe from wildland fires and firefighters safe as they fight them. While some of our courses do require prerequisites and pre-course work, we aim to make our classes as helpful and accessible as possible to firefighting professionals of all experience levels. It has been said that only we can prevent forest fires, and Sierra Blanca Wildland Fire Academy takes this seriously. Our goal is to prevent and fight wildland fires in New Mexico and beyond.
20 Years of Developing Firefighters
Sierra Blanca Wildfire Academy offers a full range of courses for firefighters to teach modern techniques and safety measures to help keep firefighters safe as they fight wildland fires and to supress fires more efficiently. View our entire course list here. →