Thirteen firefighting candidates went up against flames, smoke and heat during a live fire training on North Whidbey Saturday.

Marv Koorn, chief of North Whidbey Fire and Rescue, explained that his department and Oak Harbor Fire jointly put on an academy each year to train new recruits to become volunteer firefighters.

As part of the academy, the firefighters-in-training have to battle a real fire. On Saturday, firefighters burned down a decrepit house off Ault Field Road; the new owner plans to rebuild.

Over and over again, instructors used pallets to start smoky fires inside the house and a team of recruits dragged a hose inside to put out the conflagration.

Koorn said they open the door to blinding smoke,  fierce heat and a fire that’s just feet away.

“It gets the adrenaline going,” he said.

Oak Harbor City Councilman Joel Servatius donned firefighting gear and went inside to experience firsthand what firefighters go through.

In the end, the interior got so hot that Lt. Ed Klaszky, an instructor, was visibly steaming when he exited the house. Koorn said it was a sign that it was time to let the fire go.

Flames consumed the house in mere minutes.