FIRE fighters may soon be ordered to cut back on commercial training if the results of an air quality survey prove that the smoke is causing a health hazard.

Under the AEA Technical independent survey -- commissioned by Lancashire County Council to assess the county's air quality -- fire chiefs at Washington Hall Fire Brigade Training Centre, in Chancery Road, Euxton, could be ordered to curtail the level of fire exercises if the smoke is confirmed as a health hazard under the 1995 Environment Act.

But fire chiefs say that the commercial training activities at Washington Hall add up to four per cent of the emergency service's annual spending costs of £4.5million.

They say that council tax payer's could be forced to pick up the tab of £1.7million if the centre's commercial training is reeled in.

The new survey could spell good news for local residents who say they are in the line of fire.

Councillor Robert Collinson said: "The problem is that there are certain parts of Astley Village near the training centre which all the smoke falls onto.

"It gets onto people's washing and there is a great concern that it is a health hazard.

"If this were a factory they would be told to stop but the training centre is given an exception under the Clean Air Act. It's time this changed if the level of smoke it is deemed a health hazard."

While local residents accept that the fire service is an essential public service Coun Collinson says they are fuming with the after-effects of smoke emissions.

He added: "People resent that they are having to suffer the smoke emissions to enable overseas fire officers to get their training.

"I don't think the residents of Astley Village are being adequately protected by the existing law."

John Taylor, spokesman for the Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service, said the fire service was aware of the problem and had taken steps to try to cut down the smoke.

For instance, fire chiefs agreed to burn liquid petroleum gas instead of oil and work around designated wash days in a bid to ease the problem for people in the neighbouring Astley Village.

Mr Taylor said: "For realistic training fire fighters have to encounter a real fire. We have to train a fire fighter in what it is like to go into a burning building where they can't see."

While smoke filtration or cleansing plants could stop the smoke fire bosses say they are reluctant to install such measures due to the high costs involved -- which could amount to a fire engine being taken off the road.

Mr Taylor added: "Commercial training raises the prestige of Lancashire fire service and brings in money thus reducing the burden on the council tax payer. I think it would be folly from the tax payer's interest to put a halt to the commercial aspect."