Yellowknife (Sep 01/06) - The Inuvik volunteer fire department got a chance to see a controlled burn as result of a donation from a member of the community.

Two trailers in the back of resident Gordie Campbell's lot on Franklin Road were donated to the department and razed Aug. 22 for a training exercise.

Deputy fire chief Julie Miller was on hand to supervise the event and said it was a great learning tool for the rookies.

"Live fire training is beneficial to new fighters so they can see how quickly a fire can really spread," said Miller. "This gives us the experience to deal with these situations when they arise," she said.

The fire burned for more than 45 minutes and attracted a long lineup of vehicles packed with curious people.

The practice burn came at a good time, with two fires being reported in the last week.

"This is perfect because of what we've learned in the past week," said Miller.

Smoke and flame intensity were some of the signs that Miller instructed her squad to watch out for.

Because of the size of the blaze, a large area was cleared around the trailers. The buildings were also cleaned and searched to remove any hazardous materials.

"The site was treated and prepared before the fire was started," said Miller.

"Harmful elements were taken from the building. We went through the trailers with a fine-toothed comb to ensure the safety of everyone."

The exercise was a good compliment to their weekly routine of training, she said.