Over 20 Rio Grande Valley firefighters are now trained to fight wildfires.

South Texas College partnered with Texas A&M Forest Service to host classes where firefighters were taught how to create a fire line. That's when crews dig a ditch barrier around a wildfire to remove the fuel.

Fuel is any form of vegetation that gives the fire energy. 

"We can either do manual work as far as getting off with tools to get to the mineral soil to stop the fuel of the fire or do a water line to spray water in the area and contain the fire," San Juan firefighter David Gonzalez said.

Firefighters also learned how to use a fire shield in case they get surrounded by flames. 

STC and Texas A&M Forest Service plan to host another wildfire training course in the fall.

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