How to Get a Wildland Firefighter (Hotshot) Job

wildland firefighter

    It’s that time of year to start applying for next years wildland firefighter jobs. Have you looked on tv and seen those HUGE forest fires going on and the firefighters that fight them and think “Hey, that looks fun” (Ok maybe fun isn’t the right word but you get my point). Wildland firefighting an ever expanding job the is growing year after year. These men and woman are put into extreme situations and must be in their top physical fitness levels to accomplish their goals. If becoming a firefighter has ever interested you then you may able to become one yourself. You better be fast though because now is the time to apply for next years fire season.

If you’ve never applied to a wildland firefighter seasonal position then you may be thinking that it’s a little early to be applying, I thought the same thing when I first was getting into the fire service. I actually missed out on getting a job my first fire season because I applied too late, hopefully, you won’t be making the same mistake as I did.

This post will be your full step-by-step guide to getting a job as a seasonal (or non-seasonal) wildland firefighter. Going through the hiring process can be pretty difficult and confusing for a first timer, I will try my best to answer the questions you may have about getting a job as a firefighter.

Scroll down to the bottom of the page to see the list of resources from this post.

Types of wildland firefighter jobs

 

Type 2/3 Crews: These are a group of 20-30 individuals that work and train together throughout the summer to build fireline, burn-out techniques, and mop up after a fire. They use my different tools and usually have to hike wherever they go with 30-40 pounds on their back. When they aren’t at a fire they are doing project work like fuel reduction or chipping. Some type 3 crews are only together when they go out to fires.

Type 1/ Hotshot Crew: These crews are very similar to type 2 crews but work at an advanced level. These crews are usually around 20 guys and girls. The don’t do as much project work during the summer as the type 2 crews because these crews go to more fires than the other crews. This is the advance level of fire hand crews and only have around 2-5 open positons a year. Here is a list of Hotshot crews from around the United States. If you live in California (Where most crews are) then you can take a look at the Caflironia Hotshots.

Smoke Jumper: These guys are crazy. They’re specialized firefighters who parachute into remote areas for fast, aggressive initial attack on remote lightning strikes or wildland fires. Smokejumpers must be self-reliant and work both independently and as an organized crew. They also must be in outstanding physical condition and have at least one year of prior firefighting experience. You can read more about smokejumpers on their Smokejumper’s website.

Engine Crew: These firefighters are designed for an initial and extended attack of wildland fires. In populated and remote parts of the United States, they also respond to medical emergencies, vehicle accidents, and other threats to federal wildland program areas. Firefighters on engines are trained to work with hand tools, hoses, portable pumps, radios and other specialized equipment. These are crews of multi-skilled professional firefighters who construct fireline, create hose lays and conduct burnout and mopup operations. These professional firefighters also perform valuable visitor protection in remote areas.  For more information about engine crews you can take a look at FS Engine Crews page

Helicopter Crew: (flight crews, helitack, or rappellers) usually work in concert with their helicopters and are designed for a quick, aggressive response to wildland fires in remote areas. These firefighters are “ground pounders” who have often have previous experience working with helicopters or are specifically trained for their particular type of insertion into remote areas via helicopter. Depending on what they do, they must be self-reliant and work both independently and as an organized crew on the ground in conjunction with their helicopter or not.

wildland firefighter

Your Fitness Level is VERY Important

 

Before I get into some of the requirements and the actual process of applying for a job I must talk about physical fitness. From day one you have to report in top physical shape and being “fit” is not just important in the wildland firefighter field, it’s a must. A crew is only as strong as their weakest link and you definitely don’t want to be the weak link on your crew. Fitness levels are the number one reason why a person doesn’t make it on a crew and an easy why to get let go.

Physical fitness is so imprtnat that the interview for my wildland type 2 crew was a hike up some hills and the top 2 persons to finsih got the job. Because I played soccer a lot and kept up my fitness level I was able to finish first and get the job.

So before you start your wildland journey I recommend you start working out now. You can check out one of my firefighter fitness posts (Firefighter fitness #4, Firefighter fitness #5) to get an idea of a workout you can do. If you live in an area with mountains or hills then start by doing some light jogging up the hills then getting faster and faster till you can run up them. After some time start wearing a weight vest to simulate some of the weight you will be wearing will be greatly beneficial.

Our daily workouts on my type 2 hand crew consisted of pushups, situps, pullups, squats, and either an intense run or hike in the morning. The workouts were hard but the hardest were definitely the hikes and it was very clear if you weren’t up to the fitness level of the crew. If you need a workout plan you can check this Hotshot Workout Plan I found to get you started.

 

Requirements for wildland Firefighters

 

Many aspiring full-time firefighters start with wildland firefighting because they have fewer requirements and are easier to obtain. Some wildland jobs (most actually) don’t have any prerequisites, you just need to apply. That being said, there are some classes that you can take to help you be on top of the hiring list.

It will depend on where you’re from or where you plan to get a job at to find what requirments are needed.

The best thing you can do to find what requirements the department you want to work for are is to contact and ask them. You don’t need to know any actual “firefighting techniques” to apply as everything you need to know will be taught to you before your first fire by the crew that hires you. Everything from scraping dirt, fire shelters, how to carry a tool, how much water you should carry, what gear to bring with you on a fire and other information will be given or shown to you.

Basic classes you can take that will help you get a job as a wildland firefighter:

some of these calsses will be given to you after youre hired

You will be required to pass a pack test before you can be officially hired on. The Wildland Pack Test is a test that every firefighter has to pass once per year. It’s quite an easy test to pass but kills the shins when you’re done with it. The test is a hike/walk for 3 miles with a 45 lb. pack on in under 45 minutes. There is no jogging or running allowed, it’s pass/fail, packs are provided, and usually there will be medical personnel on site, just in case.

 

Applying for the job

 

There are a couple different ways to apply for wildland firefighter jobs but USA Jobs is the most common one people use. I will also be focusing on the type 3/2/1 (hotshot) jobs but this system can be used for fire engine and other jobs. One very important factor I want to tell you is that when you apply for a wildland firefighter job and press “send,” that isn’t the end of your job search, it’s just the beginning. There comes a lot of work after you apply to get that job that you want, especially for those hotshot positions. I will talk about what to do after you apply later in this post. Below is my step-by-step process to apply for a job.

CLICK HERE to see an already made pdf of how to apply for wildland Fireifhter jobs. BLM, BIA, or National Park Service apply through USA Jobs

USA Jobs
  1. Type “USA Jobs” into google and click on the first link. wildland firefighter
  2. Type in “wildland firefighter” under keywords. You can also narrow your search by listing only certain Locations that you are interested in. You can also filter by Department or Agency to see only Forest Service vacancies.wildland firefirefighter
  3. Click on the job you want to apply for. A quick way to see if you qualify for a position is to look at the “Series & Grade” (I talk about the GS -Grade levels below) area and if you see the number “02 or 03” then you will qualify for the position as that’s an entry level position. In the example above you can see it says Series & Grade: GS-0455, 0462-03/05. The underlined part is what you’re looking for and means you can apply for the position because it is a “GS 03”.
  4. Click “Apply” to the bottom right. wildland firefighter
  5. When you click apply you will be brought to your profile. If you don’t have a profile you will need to create one and put your information in (which they save for other job applications). They ask you questions; if you’re willing to relocate or what work hours you’re willing to work, etc. I would click “all that apply” if I were you. Fill out everything they ask.
  6. If you had to complete your profile then you will need to look fo the job again. Once you click apply again you will be taken to the USA jobs page for that specific job. There will be a resume page for you to fill out. Fill out all the information to the best knowledge. wildland firefighter
  7. If there are any certifications or schooling that is required for the job you will upload them on the documents page.
  8. Next, you will review all the information that you submitted and hit “save & continue”. They will ask you how you heard about the job, you can refuse to answer if you like.
  9. After you’re all done you will be redirected to the agency page.wildland firefighter
  10. You will need to answer more questions about yourself (Yeah I know, they ask A LOT of questions) if your account isn’t complete.wildland firefighter
  11. You’re all done Finally!!! Time to apply for more jobs…

 

Other places I used to apply to is Avuecentral but when I was doing my research for this post I couldn’t find any jobs on there. I will update this post when I find out more information on it.

If you live in or want to work in California then you can apply for Calfire. Their filing period for the 2017 season is November 1st – November 30th. Calfire is more of an engine type crew but they go to many wildland fires per year and is a great experience to have on a resume.

There are other websites that you have to pay for to find out about different wildland jobs but they cost money, a lot of money. The cheapest resource would be the Firefighter Jobs App. It’s $4.99 and says who’s hiring for firefighter and EMS related jobs. This one is good to use as they have the random jobs you can’t find anywhere else online.

To make sure they get your application is to call the crew that you want to work for and ask them how to apply for a position on their crew. The will tell you exactly how to do it and it will also help that you called and talked with them for when you visit later (I talk about visiting the crew quarters below).

 

What to do after you apply

 

Now that you got your application in a handful of places (hopefully more than a handful) it’s time to get to know the crew or let the crew get to know who you are. Crews, especially hotshot crews, receive many applications each year and you will need to hustle if you want to get on top of that list. If you’re not lucky enough to know someone already on the crew that you want then follow my advice below to get the best chance you can give yourself.

Making calls and being persistent

 

  • Call your top 4 crews (Some crews as early as November/December) that you want to work for and ask to go on a workout them. This is by far the best thing you can do to get hired. If you can keep up with the crew on one of their runs/hikes (and they like you around) then you move to the top of the list.
  • If not a workout, try to visit the complex or crew quarters. Try to meet with the crew supt. and have a conversation with him/her. You want him to remember your face and name so when your application comes across his desk he remembers you.
  • At a minimum, you should call them. Talk with the crew supt. and try your best to sell yourself. You should tell him/her If you have any experience in your background and why you think you should be hired on their crew.
  • Be persistent but don’t bother.
  • Have a flexible schedule to visit the crews when you can
  • Do some research on the place you want to work. Make sure you will be a good fit and have some information when you visit/call them
  • Lastly, if you have any connections or know anyone that works where you want to work make sure to take advantage of that.

wildland firefighter

Gs levels and how much you will be paid

 

We finally get to the important stuff…       money!

The firefighter grade levels are what wildland firefighter positions are based on. Most positions you’ll see are from GS-2 to GS-6 and to qualify at each grade level applicants must meet the general and specialized experience OR the educational requirements. Each grade level tells you around how much you will be getting paid per hour.

Below are the GS position requirements and average pay for each:

  • GS-2 ($9.00 – $11.00 per hr.): 3 months of specialized (firefighting) experience or High School diploma
  • GS-3 ($11.00 – $14.00 per hr.): 6 months of specialized (firefighting) experience or 6 units of college completed
  • GS-4 ($13.00 – $16.00 per hr.): 6 months of specialized (firefighting) experience or 12 units of college completed – 90 days of prior on-the-line wildland firefighting experience
  • GS-5 ($14.00 – $18.00 per hr.): 1 year of specialized (firefighting) experience or bachelor’s degree with 24 units of college completed – FFT1 AND completion of S-290 course
  • GS-6 ($17.00 – $21.00 per hr.): 1 year of specialized (firefighting) experience or Master/Graduate level education as defined in the vacancy announcement – must be directly related to the work of the position

One important factor to consider is that a lot of the money wildland firefighters make is overtime money. In most cases, if you work more than 8 hours in a day, you start to get over-time which is time and a half. So if you’re getting paid $12.00 an hour, your time and a half money would be $18.00 an hour. Even some positions give you hazard pay for the time you’re at a fire.

 

Ending notes

 

Wildland firefighters start at different times of the year but it’s pretty common to start the season during the month of April or May. Remember that when you start, you are expected to be in wildland firefighter shape and keep up with the crew from day one. The first week or so you will be getting your training, certifications, and red card but your crew so you will be able to go to the fires.

Being a wildland firefighter is hard and beats up your body. Make sure you do some research about the actual job itself because you need to make sure its right for you before you start the application process. If you do decide it’s something you want to do then I applaud you because you will meet some great guys and make some even greater memories living the wildfire life.

If you have any more questions or want more information about becoming a wildland firefighter please send me a message or email and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.

 

Wildland Firefighter Resources

 

13 Comments

  1. Sam

    Thank you for your article. Would anything mental health wise on a medical record keep one from being able to do follow this career path? It was back in 2016 and I had only gone to group therapy (nothing for inpatient at all!) We were having family issues and it was open discussion. I never took ANY tests or had evaluations done but it’s on my medical record. The notes from the therapist were incorrect as I made a joke boit wanting to now the neighbors lawn at some point and she wrote down “wants to mow neighbors lawns, manic.” I’ve been trying to find ways to fight this as it limits me to careers I desired since I have it on my tricare medical records. Sorry for the long message. I’ve wanted to do this career for some time that I would work for free for years to prove I’m mentally great. It’s the only thing on my record 🙁 thank you

    1. Sam

      I apologize for the grammar and spelling mistakes. I’m not very skilled at typing on my phone!
      Recovering

    2. firefighteslifestyle@gmail.com (Post author)

      Hey Sam. It depends on the department but I know a lot of places don’t like having an employee with a medical record. Now in your case, it doesn’t sound like your history would really inhibit your ability to do the job. I would start to do some volunteer work or become a wildland firefighter so you have some experience and departments can see you could do the job without any problems.

      Just be honest about it, don’t come out and say what happened but if asked or during a background check make sure you’re upfront about it and you’ll be surprised how receptive departments can be. The words “mental history” does scare some potential employment but if you lay it out there then most people will understand.

      Don’t worry about the spelling, I guarantee you spell better than I do.

  2. Ethan

    I have applied to a few places so far however I didn’t start until March 2nd because I was waiting for my red card certification to come in as well as I am also quite new to this. As you said above you missed out because you applied late as well. Do you think there is any hope at this point or I am I just gonna have to wait until next season?

    1. firefighteslifestyle@gmail.com (Post author)

      Sorry for the late reply, I didn’t see your comment. I would continue to apply for the jobs because people will leave crew throughout the season, especially in the beginning when the “unfit” firefighters will get weeded out. When I got my first wildland firefighter job I get hired in September because people left the crew mid-season. So I wouldn’t lose hope yet. Just make sure you stay in shape throughout the season.

  3. Curtis

    I have completed all my courses and received my fft2 caitian and completed a pack test all I need is a wildland firefighter job can anyone help?

    1. firefighteslifestyle@gmail.com (Post author)

      Congrats on getting your FF2 and passing your pack test. The best thing I would recommend is to use the information in this post to help you find a job. Most wildland jobs are posted on USAjobs.com but if you cant find the one you want then I would go to a fire station near you and just ask them if they know any fire crews hiring in your area. Nows the time crews start looking to hire people for the summer. Good luck!

  4. Steven D Jones

    I want to become a wildland firefighter but I have a Dui on my record. Will this affect my chances and hiring process?

    1. firefighteslifestyle@gmail.com (Post author)

      It depends on a lot of factors surrounding your situation. The most important factor is how long ago was your DUI? If you are looking for a wildland job then it may not affect you too much as the requirements for a wildland firefighter is usually less than a full-time position as a structure firefighter. Also, some states are stricter about this than others, California being one of the more stricter states.

      As time passes it will be easier for you to get a job with a DUI as you would be surprised how many current firefighters have had a DUI.

  5. srstrades.com

    There are certain physical requirements that every wildland firefighter is required to meet at the start of each season.

    1. firefighteslifestyle@gmail.com (Post author)

      Yes, there is a standard that every wildland firefighter must pass. The test is actually pretty easy, but you will be feeling it in your shins after as you’re not able to run in the test. The test is called the pack test and what it consists of is a 3-mile walk on flat ground with a 45-pound pack on and you must complete it in 45 minutes. This test is usually the bare minimum requirements and the training you will do on your fire hand crew will be more arduous than this. Good Luck!

  6. Tyler

    Great post, thanks for the info! Hoping to get on a hand crew next summer. I have been out of the Marine Corps for 3 years now and I every day I miss the comradery that seems like is only present in jobs like military, fire, and other emergency services.

    1. firefighteslifestyle@gmail.com (Post author)

      Good luck man! I’m sure you will be able to get a job easily with your background. Yeah, the part I miss most from my hand crew days was the comradery we had as a crew.

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