BLM, U.S. Wildland Fire Service celebrate more than 20 years of wildland fire training partnership with Phoenix schools

May 21, 2026

a yellow wildland fire engine sits in front of a brick building with a sign reading Franklin Police and Fire High School — A Phoenix District fire vehicle at Franklin Police and Fire High School. (BLM Photo)

Earlier this month, U.S. Wildland Fire Service (USWFS) staff at the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Phoenix District Office celebrated the latest class of students from Franklin Police and Fire High School to graduate from the basic firefighter training program. Twenty-three students completed training and are now ready to apply to work as type 2 wildland firefighters.

For more than 20 years, the BLM Phoenix District has partnered with the Phoenix Union High School District to provide training and educational opportunities for high school students exploring career fields in firefighting. The partnership has been one of service with an eye to the future of wildland fire.

“This program has been an excellent recruitment tool for us,” said Assistant Fire Management Officer Dan Philbin, “It’s a great way for people to gain experience and start a career.”

Wildland fire specialists at the Phoenix District Office teach courses in wildland fire at the high school each year. In the spring, students participate in field day exercises. The students practice traversing difficult terrain as a group, carrying tools, digging fire line, and deploying fire shelters. The following week, successful students graduate from the program.

a firefighter in yellow shirt, green pants, and a red hard hat stands in a circle of high school students — Franklin Police and Fire High School students learn about drip torches and fusees at their 2026 field day. (U.S. Wildland Fire Service Photo)

“The program gave me a passion and set me on a career path,” said USWFS Firefighter Bryan Alvillar, who graduated from the program in 2022 and returned to help teach classes this year. “It gave me experience that I might not have had before.”

For several years, the Phoenix District fire program has also hired entry-level wildland firefighters from the class of Franklin graduates. Interested seniors who have completed this program are eligible via an application and interview process. The students begin the physical training process in preparation for their arduous duty work capacity test, and they will get first-hand wildland firefighting experience on a type 6 engine. This year, the USWFS will hire three 2026 Franklin graduates to staff the engine for the summer.

A firefighter points next to a student holding a fire hose. — Engine Operator Chandler Goering (right) instructs a student during the 2025 Franklin Police and Fire High School field day exercise. (Photo by Chris Wonderly/Bureau of Land Management)

In addition to preparing high school students for the wildland firefighting career field, the partnership has also produced permanent careers in federal service for Franklin and Phoenix Union alumni. Over the years, 10 employees in the fire program began their federal careers thanks to the partnership.

a firefighter presents a certificate to a high school student — Engine Captain Antonio Juarez awards a certificate of completion for S-130/S-190 course to a Franklin High School student. (Photo by Chris Wonderly/Bureau of Land Management)

Engine Captain Antonio Juarez graduated from the Franklin program in 2010. In the 2026-2027 school year, Juarez will take the lead for the Franklin partnership, helping to train the next class of wildland firefighters. “It’s great to come full circle, from coming up through the program to teaching it,” said Juarez.

The USWFS and BLM Phoenix District Office are grateful for their continued partnership with Franklin Police and Fire High School and the Phoenix Union High School District. Together, they prepare future generations of wildland firefighters who serve the American people by protecting communities and public lands.