- 615 Janopaul Ln. Modesto, CA
- info@stumpmfg.com
- (209) 596-4029
- Open Mon - Fri, 7am - 3:30pm
What fire departments need to know before commissioning a custom burn building — and how to choose a manufacturer who builds to perform under real fire conditions.
A burn building is a controlled fire training structure engineered to simulate real-world fire scenarios — allowing firefighters to practice live fire suppression, search and rescue, ventilation, and forcible entry in a safe, repeatable environment. Also called a live fire training building or fire training house, these are the structures where firefighters build the skills that matter when conditions aren’t ideal.
Stump Construction & Manufacturing engineers and fabricates custom burn buildings for fire departments, training academies, and first responder facilities across the United States. Every structure is built to withstand repeated live fire exercises while meeting NFPA 1403 compliance standards.
Every Stump burn building is custom-designed and engineered to your department’s specifications. No two projects are identical — we work from your training objectives, site conditions, and budget to deliver a structure that performs.
All Stump MFG burn buildings are engineered to meet NFPA 1403 — the Standard on Live Fire Training Evolutions. This federal standard governs the design, operation, and safety requirements for structures used in live fire training exercises. NFPA 1403 is the adopted standard in most jurisdictions and is required by insurers and accreditation bodies for live fire training facilities.
Our engineering team designs every burn building to the full scope of NFPA 1403 requirements — structural integrity, ventilation, egress, and safety systems. You get a structure that’s engineered right from the start.
A well-designed burn building supports the full range of practical fire training evolutions:
Planning a full live fire training facility beyond the burn building itself? We engineer complete multi-structure training complexes.
Stump MFG handles the complete lifecycle of your burn building project — you don’t need to coordinate multiple vendors.
Planning — We start with your training objectives, site constraints, and budget. Our team helps you define the right configuration before any metal is cut.
Design — Structural and systems design developed to your specifications, incorporating NFPA 1403 requirements from the ground up.
Engineering — Full engineering drawings and systems specifications for your structure, produced to NFPA 1403 requirements.
Fabrication — Built in our Modesto, CA facility using precision metal fabrication — laser cutting, welding, forming, and finishing.
Delivery & Assembly — We deliver and assemble on-site. Your burn building arrives ready to use.
If budget is a constraint, our guide to fire department grants covers federal and state funding sources available for training infrastructure.
For departments adding fire behavior observation to their training program, we also build custom flashover chambers.
Tell us about your project. No sales process. No follow-up sequence. Just a direct conversation.
Or call us directly: (209) 596-4029
Mon–Fri, 7 AM – 3:30 PM PT
What is the difference between a burn building and a flashover chamber?
A burn building is a full structural training facility for live fire suppression exercises across multiple rooms and evolutions. A flashover chamber is a smaller, purpose-built compartment specifically designed to simulate flashover conditions and teach flashover recognition. Stump MFG builds both — and can integrate a flashover chamber into a larger burn building design.
Do your burn buildings meet NFPA 1403?
Yes. Every Stump MFG burn building is built to NFPA 1403 requirements, covering structural integrity, egress, ventilation, and safety systems. Your authority having jurisdiction, insurer, and accreditation body each run their own review, and we build the structure those reviews are measured against.
How long does a custom burn building take to build?
Timeline depends on complexity, configuration, and site requirements. After an initial consultation, we’ll provide a project-specific timeline estimate.
Do you build burn buildings for small departments or limited budgets?
Yes. We work with departments across a wide range of budgets and training needs. Get in touch and we’ll tell you what’s possible within your budget and timeline.
Can you ship and assemble outside of California?
Yes. Our fire training structures are in use across the United States and in multiple countries. Fire training structures are high-value, high-stakes projects. We’ve shipped and assembled across the US and internationally — the distance isn’t a barrier.
We’re comparing a few vendors — what makes you different?
You work directly with the engineers and fabricators who build your structure. When a detail needs to change or a question comes up mid-project, you are talking to the people doing the work, not passing a message down a chain. One team, one contract, and single-source accountability from design through installation.
