South Dakota Wildland Firefighter Jobs

Where the crews are in South Dakota

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.

Custer, South Dakota

426 postings since 2016

🌱 Entry-level here

Typically 19 entry-level spots a year (178 in all since 2016).
When they hire: postings peak in August, September, October — 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.

Rapid City, South Dakota

327 postings since 2016

🌱 Entry-level here

Typically 14 entry-level spots a year (132 in all since 2016).
When they hire: postings peak in August, September, October — 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.
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.

Spearfish, South Dakota

303 postings since 2016

🌱 Entry-level here

Typically 15 entry-level spots a year (134 in all since 2016).
When they hire: postings peak in August, September, October — 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.

Camp Crook, South Dakota

171 postings since 2016

🌱 Entry-level here

Typically 9 entry-level spots a year (85 in all since 2016).
When they hire: postings peak in August, September, October — 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.

Hot Springs, South Dakota

152 postings since 2016

🌱 Entry-level here

Typically 9 entry-level spots a year (83 in all since 2016).
When they hire: postings peak in August, September, October — 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

Hill City, South Dakota

145 postings since 2016

🌱 Entry-level here

Typically 7 entry-level spots a year (66 in all since 2016).
When they hire: postings peak in August, September, October — 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.

Wall, South Dakota

116 postings since 2016

🌱 Entry-level here

Typically 7 entry-level spots a year (63 in all since 2016).
When they hire: postings peak in August, September, October — 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

Nemo, South Dakota

109 postings since 2016

🌱 Entry-level here

Typically 6 entry-level spots a year (59 in all since 2016).
When they hire: postings peak in August, September, October — 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.

Fort Pierre, South Dakota

107 postings since 2016

🌱 Entry-level here

Typically 6 entry-level spots a year (54 in all since 2016).
When they hire: postings peak in August, September, October — 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 Ridge, South Dakota

99 postings since 2016

🌱 Entry-level here

Typically 4 entry-level spots a year (33 in all since 2016).
When they hire: postings peak in August, September, October — 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.

Rosebud, South Dakota

51 postings since 2016

🌱 Entry-level here

Typically 2 entry-level spots a year (15 in all since 2016).
When they hire: postings peak in August, September, October — 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

Lemmon, South Dakota

47 postings since 2016

🌱 Entry-level here

Typically 3 entry-level spots a year (12 in all since 2016).
When they hire: postings peak in August, September, October — 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

Belle Fourche, South Dakota

24 postings since 2016

🌱 Entry-level here

Typically 2 entry-level spots a year (19 in all since 2016).
When they hire: postings peak in August, September, October — 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

Columbia, South Dakota

22 postings since 2016

🌱 Entry-level here

Typically 1 entry-level spot a year (11 in all since 2016).
When they hire: postings peak in August, September, October — 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

Eagle Butte, South Dakota

21 postings since 2016

🌱 Entry-level here

Typically 2 entry-level spots a year (8 in all since 2016).
When they hire: postings peak in August, September, October — 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.

South Dakota Wildland Firefighter Jobs

When they hire

Who hires

Crew types posted