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As far as sports go, I consider myself a recreational athlete.

I learned a long time ago that if I wanted to make it to the NHL, it would be via my word skills, and not the hockey smarts I honed on my dad's pond in small-town Wellandport, Ont.

This winter, I played lead on a beer-league curling team, and in a couple of weeks, I'm planning to pull on a baseball glove for the first time since grade school and take to the infield in the city's 鈥楧' Division softball league.

So when fire information officer George Maratos came calling, offering me a chance to participate in a wildland fire training exercise this week, I was startled 鈥� and a wee bit nervous.

But, just as I'd done so many times before in my reporting career, I smiled and told him I'd be there.

Around 70 firefighters aiming to battle blazes across the territory and North America this summer attended the fitness test at the Whitehorse broomball rink Wednesday. In total, the territory has 10 fire districts from Old Crow to Watson Lake.

Wildland firefighters across the country train to a national standard so they can go help other jurisdictions if needed.

The drill went something like this. To begin, participants strapped a weighted belt 鈥� about nine pounds 鈥� around their waist, before hoisting a 50-pound simulated water pump to their back and trekking it halfway across the arena four times.

Along the route was a steep ramp measuring about four-feet high, which each firefighter had to climb.

Following that, the firefighters had to carry the pump in their arms, twice around the ramp.

Then there came the hose-packing drill, where the firefighters slung a 55-pound pack on their back and trudged the length of a kilometre 鈥� including scaling the aforementioned ramp 25 times.

And then came the final exclamation point, which saw each participant drag a weighted sled, simulating a full fire hose, two lengths of the course.

The fitness test was introduced two years ago, following an extensive study of wildland firefighting. The drill simulates the typical physical demands members face in the field.

Those who complete the entire exercise in 14:30 are deemed eligible to fight fires not just in the Yukon, but across the continent.

Members are often called to provide mutual aid during periods of escalated fire activity across the country.

"It really depends on the need here and the need Outside,鈥� Maratos said. "Last year, we sent 16 firefighters to Idaho and Oregon for 16 days.

"It's typically two-and-a-half weeks. They can go that long before the mandatory days of rest.鈥�

Meanwhile, members from B.C., Alberta and Saskatchewan were in the Yukon last summer to fight some of the territory's bigger blazes.

But back to the test.

Before you got to the start line, there was the routine blood pressure test, which I have to admit I flunked 鈥� twice 鈥� after drinking a cold energy drink on my way from the Star office to the rink.

It took three tries before the attending paramedic finally deemed me fit enough to attempt the drill 鈥� and only after some convincing. Let that be a lesson to anyone reading this 鈥� my mom was right. Red Bull affects the body more than you might think.

Trudging the fire hose up and over the ramp was easily the most difficult task of the day. As sweat poured off my forehead and glasses, often the only thing keeping me going was the encouraging words from timer Keith Fickling, regional protection manager for the Southern Lakes.

After collapsing in a heap at the finish line, I was pleased to realize I had finished in 13:13 鈥� well before the national time standard.

However, whatever joy I鈥坔ad at making the national standard was muted the following morning, when I鈥坵oke up with a shooting pain in my lower back that I can assure readers is entirely unrelated to tax pain.

The whole experience gave me a new respect for those who put their lives on the line each summer in an attempt to save our trees.

Fire calls will begin to trickle in mid-month, Maratos said.

Before then, recruits will also need to pass theory tests 鈥� including helicopter exits and chainsaw usage.

"The fitness is just one portion of the standard,鈥濃�圡aratos explained. "There will be a few more tests.鈥�

All participants passed stage one of the tests with flying colours. Members of the Dawson contingent even posted times just over 11 minutes.

"Everyone did really well, so this element was really strong,鈥濃�坰aid Maratos. "You obviously want to make sure your crew is safe out there and with that comes a level of fitness that allows that to be the case.鈥�

Battling a blaze in the Yukon forests could involve long hours on the job and plenty of hiking while carrying heavy gear.

"That's why it's so important that they're at this top fitness level, because they're doing a job that can be strenuous at times,鈥� Maratos said.