Kentucky Wildland Firefighter Jobs

The types of crews — what they do & how big

Typical crew sizes and duties (general fire-world norms, not specific to one posting).

Hotshot crew · 20-person crew

Hike into the toughest, most remote parts of big fires and cut fireline by hand.

Not entry-level Usually 1–2+ seasons on a crew first; very competitive.

Smokejumpers · elite; a few bases

Parachute into remote fires that crews can't reach by road.

Not entry-level At least one full fire season to apply; most have several.

Helitack · small modules

Get flown to fires by helicopter for fast initial attack.

Not entry-level Usually a season or two on the ground first.

Engine crew · 3–10 per engine

Drive fire engines to the fire, pump water, and run hose lays.

✅ Entry-level No experience needed — a classic first job.

Hand crew · ~18–20 per crew

Dig fireline by hand with tools.

✅ Entry-level No experience needed — the classic first job.

Fuels / Rx fire · varies

Thin brush and run planned (prescribed) burns to cut wildfire risk before it starts.

✅ Entry-level Entry-level seasonal roles are common.

Dispatch · support role

Coordinate crews, engines, and aircraft by radio — off the fire line.

Not entry-level A support role — usually needs some fire or dispatch experience.

Where the crews are in Kentucky

The towns that hire most. "Entry-level per year" is the typical number of no-experience roles posted in a normal season — your best read on how many spots there are and how many other rookies you'd be with.

London, Kentucky

155 postings since 2017

🌱 Entry-level here

Typically 5 entry-level spots a year (51 in all since 2017).
When they hire: postings peak in August, March, April — apply the fall and winter before the summer you want to work.
Where rookies start: engine & hand crews — digging line, mop-up, hose lays, and patrol.

Entry-level openings by fire season (the summer you'd work):

'18

'19

'20

'21

'22

'23

'24

'25

'26

'27

🔥 Experienced hires — crews based here you work up to

Helitack — get flown to fires by helicopter for fast initial attack. Usually a season or two on the ground first.
Hotshot crew — hike into the toughest, most remote parts of big fires and cut fireline by hand. Usually 1–2+ seasons on a crew first; very competitive.

Big Creek, Kentucky

134 postings since 2017

🌱 Entry-level here

Typically 5 entry-level spots a year (42 in all since 2017).
When they hire: postings peak in August, March, April — apply the fall and winter before the summer you want to work.
Where rookies start: engine & hand crews — digging line, mop-up, hose lays, and patrol.

Entry-level openings by fire season (the summer you'd work):

'18

'19

'20

'21

'22

'23

'24

'25

'26

'27

🔥 Experienced hires — crews based here you work up to

Hotshot crew — hike into the toughest, most remote parts of big fires and cut fireline by hand. Usually 1–2+ seasons on a crew first; very competitive.

Whitley City, Kentucky

130 postings since 2017

🌱 Entry-level here

Typically 6 entry-level spots a year (52 in all since 2017).
When they hire: postings peak in August, March, April — apply the fall and winter before the summer you want to work.
Where rookies start: engine & hand crews — digging line, mop-up, hose lays, and patrol.

Entry-level openings by fire season (the summer you'd work):

'18

'19

'20

'21

'22

'23

'24

'25

'26

'27

🔥 Experienced hires — crews based here you work up to

Hotshot crew — hike into the toughest, most remote parts of big fires and cut fireline by hand. Usually 1–2+ seasons on a crew first; very competitive.
Helitack — get flown to fires by helicopter for fast initial attack. Usually a season or two on the ground first.

Golden Pond, Kentucky

126 postings since 2017

🌱 Entry-level here

Typically 5 entry-level spots a year (38 in all since 2017).
When they hire: postings peak in August, March, April — apply the fall and winter before the summer you want to work.
Where rookies start: engine & hand crews — digging line, mop-up, hose lays, and patrol.

Entry-level openings by fire season (the summer you'd work):

'18

'19

'20

'21

'22

'23

'24

'25

'26

'27

Morehead, Kentucky

113 postings since 2017

🌱 Entry-level here

Typically 5 entry-level spots a year (48 in all since 2017).
When they hire: postings peak in August, March, April — apply the fall and winter before the summer you want to work.
Where rookies start: engine & hand crews — digging line, mop-up, hose lays, and patrol.

Entry-level openings by fire season (the summer you'd work):

'18

'19

'20

'21

'22

'23

'24

'25

'26

'27

🔥 Experienced hires — crews based here you work up to

Hotshot crew — hike into the toughest, most remote parts of big fires and cut fireline by hand. Usually 1–2+ seasons on a crew first; very competitive.

Winchester, Kentucky

70 postings since 2017

🌱 Entry-level here

Typically 2 entry-level spots a year (21 in all since 2017).
When they hire: postings peak in August, March, April — apply the fall and winter before the summer you want to work.
Where rookies start: engine & hand crews — digging line, mop-up, hose lays, and patrol.

Entry-level openings by fire season (the summer you'd work):

'18

'19

'20

'21

'22

'23

'24

'25

'26

'27

🔥 Experienced hires — crews based here you work up to

Dispatch — coordinate crews, engines, and aircraft by radio — off the fire line. A support role — usually needs some fire or dispatch experience.
Helitack — get flown to fires by helicopter for fast initial attack. Usually a season or two on the ground first.

Mammoth Cave, Kentucky

65 postings since 2017

🌱 Entry-level here

Typically 2 entry-level spots a year (16 in all since 2017).
When they hire: postings peak in August, March, April — apply the fall and winter before the summer you want to work.
Where rookies start: engine & hand crews — digging line, mop-up, hose lays, and patrol.

Entry-level openings by fire season (the summer you'd work):

'18

'19

'20

'21

'22

'23

'24

'25

'26

'27

🔥 Experienced hires — crews based here you work up to

Hotshot crew — hike into the toughest, most remote parts of big fires and cut fireline by hand. Usually 1–2+ seasons on a crew first; very competitive.

Stanton, Kentucky

58 postings since 2017

🌱 Entry-level here

Typically 3 entry-level spots a year (21 in all since 2017).
When they hire: postings peak in August, March, April — apply the fall and winter before the summer you want to work.
Where rookies start: engine & hand crews — digging line, mop-up, hose lays, and patrol.

Entry-level openings by fire season (the summer you'd work):

'18

'19

'20

'21

'22

'23

'24

'25

'26

'27

Frenchburg, Kentucky

49 postings since 2017

🌱 Entry-level here

Typically 2 entry-level spots a year (13 in all since 2017).
When they hire: postings peak in August, March, April — apply the fall and winter before the summer you want to work.
Where rookies start: engine & hand crews — digging line, mop-up, hose lays, and patrol.

Entry-level openings by fire season (the summer you'd work):

'18

'19

'20

'21

'22

'23

'24

'25

'26

'27

Pine Knot, Kentucky

46 postings since 2017

🌱 Entry-level here

When they hire: postings peak in August, March, April — apply the fall and winter before the summer you want to work.
Where rookies start: engine & hand crews — digging line, mop-up, hose lays, and patrol.

Entry-level openings by fire season (the summer you'd work):

'18

'19

'20

'21

'22

'23

'24

'25

'26

'27

Fort Campbell, Kentucky

19 postings since 2017

🌱 Entry-level here

When they hire: postings peak in August, March, April — apply the fall and winter before the summer you want to work.
Where rookies start: engine & hand crews — digging line, mop-up, hose lays, and patrol.

Entry-level openings by fire season (the summer you'd work):

'18

'19

'20

'21

'22

'23

'24

'25

'26

'27

Middlesboro, Kentucky

15 postings since 2017

🌱 Entry-level here

Typically 1 entry-level spot a year (2 in all since 2017).
When they hire: postings peak in August, March, April — apply the fall and winter before the summer you want to work.
Where rookies start: engine & hand crews — digging line, mop-up, hose lays, and patrol.

Entry-level openings by fire season (the summer you'd work):

'18

'19

'20

'21

'22

'23

'24

'25

'26

'27

Bars count entry-level postings by fire season — the summer you'd work. Federal fire jobs are posted the fall and winter before (peak Aug–Oct), so each season's bar includes everything hired for that summer, not the calendar date it was posted. The "per year" figure averages complete seasons 2018–2026. Counts come from federal USAJOBS announcements; one regional announcement can list many towns, so these show how often a town appears — a strong signal of where the work is, not an exact headcount.

Kentucky Wildland Firefighter Jobs

When they hire

Who hires

Crew types posted