Any Wildland Firefighters out there?

Does anybody know where a guy can advance and make a little money in this line of work. Im currently a forest ranger and love the job but it seems like im constantly working from pay check to pay check around here. Im not saying I wanna be rich Im just curious to know if there is better money to be made in this line of work? Im also open for any good ideas on ways to make money on the side?

 

Come to California and join cal fire hard to get in but they get action year round.

 

Would love to get out west. Worked out in Utah and Idaho for a few weeks this summer and loved it been trying to figure out a way to get out there and find a decent job in fire ever since.

 

Start applying to seasonal jobs with the usfs,blm,and nps @ usajobs.gov.

Work your way up, 8 years is the the normal amount of time it take to get a perm job.

 

if u have any experience at all.....get on a hotshot crew....spend a couple of years at that, then it will be no problem moving up from there....if you can make it on a hotshot crew, you can do anything else in fire.....be prepared for hard work, and very rugged conditions....but the money is great.......if you can hack it..........good luck.......region 3 and region 5 crews usually see the most action............

 

Thanks for the help guys. People have told me hot shot crews are the way to go. Guess I need to start applying. Working for the state is fun but it just doesn't pay that well.

 

I believe the member n0rth on here is.

 

better get on it the window is closing!
We are making our choices first week in feb!

 

I have been working wildfire for the FS, BLM for 6 seasons, started with the state of ID on an engine for my first 2 seasons. Best way is to go to USAJOBS and create a resume, and apply for GS 3 and 4 positions. Best way in would be an engine crew initially.

I have been on Hotshot and handcrews for most of my career, and can tell you that this is a very demanding job, physically and mentally. You can expect to hike over a thousand miles with over 65lbs on your back in a summer, camp out over a hundred days, and work in some of the most beautiful and some of the worst country you have ever seen. You can also expect to give up all your free time, summer time hobbies, and focus most of your time on working your ass off.

I would safely say that being a Hotshot is one of the Toughest Jobs in America. You basically vanish for 5 months out of the year, working your absolute ass off. This can take a big toll on your personal life. I have lost many girlfriends over the last 8 years...Your shift will be 16 hours of punishing work, with not many breaks, and your tour will be 14 days normally. you get 2 days off after 14, then expect to be our for 14 more days...do this from late may-early oct, racking up on average over 1000hrs of overtime....YAY!!!!

I can also be one of the most rewarding jobs you will ever have. Working with 20 other people in unison to construct fireline in the most rugged conditions imaginable builds lasting bonds with those around you. My best friends have mostly come out of working fire, in many different places, ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. Its also a very dangerous job, and I have had to deal with fatalities on my own crew, as well as other crews on many different fires throughout the years. Injuries are also very common. Also, dont expect any thanks for what you do...if your a hotshot you will be so deep in the woods most of the time that you will never see the public, thats engine crew shit Being a hotshot is definitely not for everyone, every year I have seen folks drop out early because the job itself can be so incredibly hard. Put on a 65lb backpack, hike up and down the forest in STEEP terrain for miles on end, then dig or chainsaw for a good 14 hours HARD, then hike back to your sleeping bag, eat a shitty MRE, get 5 or 6 hours of sleep, then repeat for the next 14 days. Oh, and add in over a hundred degree temps in AZ or the south....and cut off all communications with the outside world 90% of the time. Aint no cell coverage where your going. Sound like fun???

Good luck, hiring begins in early FEB and applications have to be in USAJOBS shortly...

 

That right there is the best way to describe whats its like being on a shot crew!!

 

Thanks for the response guys you have been a big help. Im building my resume trying to get some training done to better my chances at getting hired. I had the opportunity to go on my first assignment this summer out in Utah Idaho and loved every minute of it even though it was only a small taste of what has been described above. I like hearing from guys that have seen and done it to get pointed in the right direction. Keep the advice coming guys, I like to hear from fellow fire fighters out there.

 

Anyone on here know anything about a tanker base position in Lancaster with the US forest service?

 

Did you find a job yet tacosoup?
I spent 6 seasons as a hotshot and now I'm an engine captain in Florida. If you need any help with usajobs or resume stuff just let me know.

 

I have been wanting to apply for a job with the forest service for a while now. They have an open position for hot shot/hand crew at station near my home town. I don't have any wild land fire fighting experience or how to get any as wildfires are not very common in our area and are usually contained and out with in a week or so. Its no problem for me to hike long distances in rough terrain as I do it quite often while out hunting. Since I was a kid always wanted to work for the forest service. Any advice on what I could do? Was thinking of just applying for the position anyways as I doubt very many apply to that station.

Thanks
Matt

 

Does anyone know the firefighter who, many many months ago, posted a video of him fighting a fire with a GoPro attached to his gear? Anyone remember this? Am trying to find him to ask a question about how he attached his GoPro so well....

 

Mount the attachment clip to the top of your hard hat.
I did that on my flight helment and hard had and it works great.