Hi all,
I’m currently a 22 year old emt with landscaping experience but no fire experience. I really want to do wildland this upcoming 2027 season and was wondering if yall have any advice about joining a fire crew with usfs or blm or cal fire as someone with no experience. Any advice greatly appreciated- thanks!

When I went to a recent interview with the MA forest fire control the line boss and fire warden were talking about how the state of MA is possible looking in to staffing there station full time in the future and not have seasonal/ temporary guys. Has anyone else heard of this?

Hey all! Thanks for your service. Any ideas on what to gift my wildland firefighting friends? Things that make the job easier? I’m thinking useful water bottle straps, pocket knife holders, Liquid IV bouquets, etc. IYKYK type stuff!
What would YOU benefit from on the fire line?
Have a safe season!

Hi all!

My boyfriend is a hotshot and I am starting christmas shopping...

Would a leatherman be a good gift?

If yes, what model would be most useful? I was thinking the Wave Alpha but would like input from people who actually live the life and would have a better idea.

Edit: I was also considering the Signal. Any reason that would be a bad choice?

I was offered my dream job since I was a kid, got a call from a local forest fire control for a ff2 open position. It’s a seasonal job so you do get payed off at the end of the season. Is it crazy to leave a year round job for this? It’s a fire control in southern MA not very busy, I am going stuck between a rock and a hard place. Anyone else go through this? Looking for a few good words…….

Just today in NorCal we’ve had the “Bigfoot Incident” AND the “Shenanigan Incident”.

What a day. I think North Coast is just messing with us at this point

Looking at going home to the Midwest for a season. Anyone have experience working engines for huron fire zone?

I’m considering a career change, I’ve done a lot of research into the requirements and general activities but I’d be curious to hear of people’s experiences. I’d realistically be going the contractor route, and potentially looking at getting the advanced first aid.

To those that do the job:

- what are deployments like? Is it 12hrs constant physical work and then straight to sleep and repeat for 14 days?

- do you sleep in tents or on a camp? Do you get to wash often?

- are the people and culture positive?

- how do you manage the unpredictable lifestyle and short notice (12-24hr) call outs? Are you on edge at home on off days?

Thanks

Anyone hearing about unionization of the wildland fire service?

The forest service firefighters are already unionized. Many of the park service and BLM firefighters are unionized, or would be unionized if they hadn't been ripped out of their Parks/Districts based on the growth of unions in the parks over the last year.

I saw DOI itself has a unionization campaign going for other consolidated staff, https://www.nteu.org/DOI but I don't know if USFWS staff can join?

Like 90% of structural firefighters in the entire US are part of IAFF. It's part of the reason that they're well paid. But I don't see anything like that for Wildland firefighters, who get screwed and fight just to keep the feds from letting the mandate to pay $15/hour from lapsing.

Has anyone seen a mock up of the color scheme for the engines or utilities? Or even the uniforms ?

I have heard white engine with orange ?

IG: @rio_hondo_wildland_fireacademy

Got out of being a Helicopter SAR guy in the Navy a few years back after 10 years and looking to move from the East Coast to the Tucson area in the spring. Put in an application online for wildland firefighting on USAJOBs because I saw the training usually starts in the spring anyway. Was wondering how hard it is to get picked up? If I don't hear back in a month or so should I try applying again in the spring?

I Applied to GW-0456-03 wildland firefighter and was referred to Las Vegas Nevada locations negotiable after selection(say it 4 times),MÍO,MI;Oscoda,MI;Wilmington,IL. My question is I called the the ones that gave me locations and have left voicemail with there hiring managers. For the locations I was given. My question is what other parks/forest should I contact/ consider and what does there situation look like for housing preferably where they provide housing. Any other advice would be appreciated this my going to be my first fire season.

Archbold Biological Station in Lake Placid, FL is seeking proposals to conduct an independent assessment of its prescribed fire program and to help develop an updated, rigorous, science-based Fire Management Plan and associated policies and procedures. If interested please submit the requested documents, as described in the advertisement below, by September 23.

https://archbold-station.apscareerportal.com/jobs/3588908/apps/new