A house ablaze with Christmas trees?

To any bystander, the site of the house burning near the Mt Laurel community on Dec. 29 must have been confusing. As the roof flamed over, the dozen or so firefighters standing around the structure aimed their hoses at the sky and the ground around it. Then, they posed for a picture.

The house that was reduced to rubble that frigid afternoon was recently donated to the Cahaba Valley Fire Department to use for live burn training. According to Grant Wilkinson, commander and public information officer with the Department, the training is a rare and vital part of preparing for actual firefighting.

After the house is turned over to the department, firefighters spend months building in safety controls like covering holes and removing glass, asbestos and other combustible material. The result is a mostly empty shell that they strategically stock with Christmas trees – since the National Fire Protection Association recommends against the use of any accelerants during live burn training, Wilkinson said.

After that, firefighters team up and tackle controlled fires lit in various rooms throughout the house. They’re suppressed and re-lit until the structure is too weak to handle any more. Then, the firefighters light it and let it go.

At the end of the day, the structure is reduced to rubble that fits into one – maybe two – dumpsters, Wilkinson said. And the firefighters responsible for protecting the public are better prepared for the real thing.