While hundreds of people will be attempting the B.C. Lung Association's 11th annual Stairclimb for Clean Air at the Wall Centre in Downtown Vancouver this Sunday, some will be doing it with another 80 pounds of weight.

Local firefighters do the challenge each year in their full turnout gear and Burnaby firefighter Brad Maars has organized a team for the past five years.

The group has raised more than $15,000 in that span and this year's fundraising has already passed the $5,000 mark.

"We're looking good to finish with more than $6,000," said Maars, an 18-year firefighter veteran.

Maars said most firefighters shoot for the eight-minute mark to finish the 48-storey climb. Burnaby's best finisher last year was Justin Lansing, who finished second overall in the firefighters' category with a time of 6:47.

Maars finished in 8:54, while the top female firefighter, in a time of 9:10, was Christine Roy, also of the Burnaby Fire Department.

"It doesn't get any easier," said Maars of his times. "I'm one of the oldest in our group so my main job is just to get all of the guys up and running."

The 11th Annual Stairclimb for Clean Air takes place Sunday morning and will see participants go up 739 steps in the Wall Centre. More than 500 people annually do the stair climb up the 48 floors of the 490-foot Sheraton Vancouver Wall Center Hotel. It is an opportunity for participants to challenge themselves and to support the B.C. Lung Association in its fight against lung disease.

Lung disease is the single fastest growing cause of hospitalization, disability and death in Canada today. Every year lung disease changes, cripples and ends lives at an increasing rate, yet it remains one of the least funded areas in medical research.

The registration fee for The Stairclimb for Clean Air is $25. Each climber is required to raise a minimum $125.

The Burnaby firefighters team is scheduled to do its stair climb at approximately 9:30 a.m. on Sunday.

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