It’s a cold and rainy day at the Canadian Forces Base Gagetown, just outside Fredericton, N.B. Inside the gates, dozens of soldiers are Training to fight wildfires.

The provincial government has already sent resources to Nova Scotia, where a wildfire continues to rage on. Saturday’s training could potentially direct those troops towards their maritime neighbour.

Crews started out with a water pump system that would look somewhat like one at an at-home swimming pool. Here, they’re simulating a lake where the troops would vacuum water out to fill the hoses.

Further, down the line, water hoses are spread throughout a field. Two soldiers can be seen clamping down a hose.

Water flows through the hose snaked around the back of a soldier’s neck as he helps to mitigate the pressure on the person who holds the nozzle.

It’s here that they use that water pressure on a ground line that in reality, rather than training, would be filled with fire. They’re taught to aim toward the base of the fire to extinguish the embers.

Back further in the woods, it almost looks like an assembly line, as troops dig a trench-like line, which is referred to as a “fire line,” aimed at curbing fires from advancing further.

While it may not be amongst the average kit of training for the corps, it is the same corps that responds to hurricanes, floods and other natural disasters.

Fighting fire may be a little unorthodox, but the training will assist the crews with fires across the country.

“We are not totally accustomed to fighting fires, however, we do have a plethora of skill sets that we can use to help both the government and the provincial and municipal government in making it happen if they need it to happen,” told Justin Keough, a Canadian Forces Company Sargent Major.

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Roger Collet, with the Department of Natural Resources and Energy Development, said Friday that all water bombers have been deployed to the province with the hope ground crews will join soon.

Officials from the Canadian Armed Forces confirmed to Global News that some members have already assessed the conditions of fires in southwest Nova Scotia and will continue to monitor the situation.

“Any actions we’re taking after this is based on that reconnaissance element and our command team looking into what’s occurring in consultation with the provincial and municipal authorities,” Maj. David Von Neppel said Saturday.

“Understanding where we’re required and know what the effect is and then our intent here is to do that.”

David Steeves, technician of forest resources for Nova Scotia’s Department of Natural Resources and Renewables, said that the 950-hectare wildfire in Tantallon is now considered “85 per cent contained” and is not expected to spread at this time. Despite the promising updates, he said the fire is unlikely to be declared to be “out” for even weeks or months.

— with files from Nathalie Sturgeon and Mitchell Bailey