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Louisiana Wildland Firefighter Jobs

Since 2017, 418 wildland firefighter jobs have been posted across Louisiana — and 136 were entry-level (no experience needed). Here's where the crews are and how to pick one.

Wondering about the pay? See how much wildland firefighters make. Base by grade, plus overtime, hazard, and incident pay.

2 jobs open in Louisiana right now (0 entry-level) →

When they hire

Most Louisiana jobs get posted in August, July, March. Federal fire hiring runs in the fall and winter for the next summer — so apply early, months before fire season.

Who hires

  • Forest Service (366)
  • U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (38)
  • Office of the Secretary of the Interior (6)
  • Army Installation Management Command (4)

Crew types posted

  • Helitack (31)
  • Fuels / Rx fire (28)
  • Dispatch (23)
  • Engine crew (11)
  • Smokejumpers (8)

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 Louisiana

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.

↓ Skip to the 2 jobs open now in Louisiana

Bentley, Louisiana

150 postings since 2017

🌱 Entry-level here

  • Typically 6 entry-level spots a year (54 in all since 2017).
  • When they hire: postings peak in August, July, March — 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):

1
'18
11
'19
7
'20
7
'21
11
'22
6
'23
4
'24
3
'25
4
'26
0
'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.

Winnfield, Louisiana

143 postings since 2017

🌱 Entry-level here

  • Typically 6 entry-level spots a year (51 in all since 2017).
  • When they hire: postings peak in August, July, March — 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):

1
'18
12
'19
10
'20
7
'21
7
'22
4
'23
5
'24
3
'25
2
'26
0
'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.

Provencal, Louisiana

125 postings since 2017

🌱 Entry-level here

  • Typically 5 entry-level spots a year (40 in all since 2017).
  • When they hire: postings peak in August, July, March — 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):

0
'18
8
'19
7
'20
5
'21
8
'22
2
'23
4
'24
2
'25
4
'26
0
'27

Pineville, Louisiana

96 postings since 2017

🌱 Entry-level here

  • Typically 4 entry-level spots a year (33 in all since 2017).
  • When they hire: postings peak in August, July, March — 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):

2
'18
3
'19
4
'20
5
'21
6
'22
4
'23
4
'24
3
'25
2
'26
0
'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.
  • Dispatch — coordinate crews, engines, and aircraft by radio — off the fire line. A support role — usually needs some fire or dispatch experience.

Leesville, Louisiana

95 postings since 2017

🌱 Entry-level here

  • Typically 4 entry-level spots a year (35 in all since 2017).
  • When they hire: postings peak in August, July, March — 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):

1
'18
7
'19
7
'20
6
'21
4
'22
3
'23
3
'24
2
'25
2
'26
0
'27

Boyce, Louisiana

93 postings since 2017

🌱 Entry-level here

  • Typically 3 entry-level spots a year (30 in all since 2017).
  • When they hire: postings peak in August, July, March — 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):

1
'18
6
'19
2
'20
5
'21
2
'22
2
'23
5
'24
3
'25
4
'26
0
'27

New Orleans, Louisiana, Louisiana

73 postings since 2017

🌱 Entry-level here

  • Typically 26 entry-level spots a year (26 in all since 2017).
  • When they hire: postings peak in August, July, March — 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.
  • 2 jobs open in New Orleans, Louisiana right now →

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

0
'18
0
'19
0
'20
0
'21
0
'22
0
'23
0
'24
0
'25
26
'26
0
'27

🔥 Experienced hires — crews based here you work up to

  • Smokejumpers — parachute into remote fires that crews can't reach by road. At least one full fire season to apply; most have several.
  • Helitack — get flown to fires by helicopter for fast initial attack. Usually a season or two on the ground first.
  • Dispatch — coordinate crews, engines, and aircraft by radio — off the fire line. A support role — usually needs some fire or dispatch experience.

Alexandria, Louisiana

69 postings since 2017

🌱 Entry-level here

  • Typically 6 entry-level spots a year (24 in all since 2017).
  • When they hire: postings peak in August, July, March — 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):

0
'18
7
'19
7
'20
6
'21
4
'22
0
'23
0
'24
0
'25
0
'26
0
'27

Homer, Louisiana

45 postings since 2017

🌱 Entry-level here

  • Typically 3 entry-level spots a year (18 in all since 2017).
  • When they hire: postings peak in August, July, March — 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):

1
'18
8
'19
2
'20
4
'21
0
'22
0
'23
2
'24
0
'25
1
'26
0
'27

Natchitoches, Louisiana

30 postings since 2017

🌱 Entry-level here

  • Typically 3 entry-level spots a year (9 in all since 2017).
  • When they hire: postings peak in August, July, March — 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):

0
'18
3
'19
2
'20
4
'21
0
'22
0
'23
0
'24
0
'25
0
'26
0
'27

Barksdale AFB, Louisiana

17 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, July, March — 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):

0
'18
0
'19
1
'20
0
'21
0
'22
0
'23
1
'24
0
'25
0
'26
0
'27

Bell City, Louisiana

11 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, July, March — 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):

0
'18
1
'19
0
'20
0
'21
0
'22
1
'23
0
'24
0
'25
0
'26
0
'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.

Louisiana wildland firefighter jobs open right now

2 open postings in Louisiana, live from USAJOBS.

Wildland Firefighter (Senior Advisor)

Multiple Locations · Office of the Secretary of the Interior

$112,824–$146,671/yr GW-13 Apply by Aug 19

💰 ~$162K–$272K a season with overtime & hazard pay (est.)

View & Apply

Supervisory Wildland Firefighter (Fire Program Supervisor)- Direct Hire Authority

Location Negotiable After Selection · Office of the Secretary of the Interior

$112,824–$146,671/yr GW-13 Apply by Aug 24

💰 ~$162K–$272K a season with overtime & hazard pay (est.)

View & Apply

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Wildland firefighter jobs in other states