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20 Wildland Firefighter Jobs Open Now (including 3 entry level)

Right now there are 20 federal wildland fire jobs open, 3 of them entry level โ€” engine crews, hotshots, helitack, and forestry-tech roles. Here's what they pay and how to apply.

Last updated Monday, June 22nd at 8:00 p.m. CDT

See open jobs โ†“ Jobs by state When to apply

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

Looking for a fire lookout job? See our fire lookout jobs page.

Open Wildland Firefighter Jobs Right Now

20 open postings (job codes 0456 + 0462). Each posting can hire several people across multiple locations.

Entry-Level Wildland Firefighter Jobs

No experience needed โ€” 3 openings open to rookies right now.

Wildland Firefighter

Yuma, Arizona · Office of the Secretary of the Interior

๐ŸŒฑ Entry level ยท no experience $48,424โ€“$68,844/yr GS-4โ€“5 Apply by Jun 26

๐Ÿ’ฐ ~$73Kโ€“$123K a season with overtime & hazard pay (est.)

View & Apply

Wildland Firefighter - Direct Hire Authority

Ashland, Montana · Office of the Secretary of the Interior

๐ŸŒฑ Entry level ยท no experience $48,424โ€“$74,970/yr GW-4โ€“6 Apply by Jun 24

๐Ÿ’ฐ ~$77Kโ€“$129K a season with overtime & hazard pay (est.)

View & Apply

Wildland Firefighter (Wildland Fire Module) - Direct Hire Authority

Gatlinburg, Tennessee · Office of the Secretary of the Interior

๐ŸŒฑ Entry level ยท no experience $23.20โ€“$25.37/hr GW-4โ€“5 Apply by Jun 30

๐Ÿ’ฐ ~$38Kโ€“$81K a season with overtime & hazard pay (est.)

View & Apply

Experienced Wildland Firefighter Jobs

17 openings that ask for prior fire experience or a higher grade.

Wildland Firefighter

Madison, Indiana · Office of the Secretary of the Interior

$52,957โ€“$68,844/yr GW-5 Apply by Jul 13

๐Ÿ’ฐ ~$76Kโ€“$128K a season with overtime & hazard pay (est.)

View & Apply

Supervisory Wildland Firefighter (Assistant Fire Management Officer)

Canon City, Colorado · Office of the Secretary of the Interior

$100,139โ€“$130,183/yr GW-12 Apply by Jul 2

๐Ÿ’ฐ ~$144Kโ€“$241K a season with overtime & hazard pay (est.)

View & Apply

Forestry Technician (Data Base Administrator)

Oregon · Forest Service

$61,722โ€“$80,243/yr GS-9 Apply by Jun 28

๐Ÿ’ฐ ~$89Kโ€“$149K a season with overtime & hazard pay (est.)

View & Apply

Wildland Firefighter (Senior Advisor) - Direct Hire Authority

Boise, Idaho · Office of the Secretary of the Interior

$129,549โ€“$168,420/yr GW-14 Apply by Jul 2

๐Ÿ’ฐ ~$187Kโ€“$312K a season with overtime & hazard pay (est.)

View & Apply

Wildland Firefighter

Lakeview, Oregon · Office of the Secretary of the Interior

$62,570โ€“$81,343/yr GW-7 Apply by Jun 30

๐Ÿ’ฐ ~$90Kโ€“$151K a season with overtime & hazard pay (est.)

View & Apply

Supervisory Wildland Firefighter (Unit Fire Chief)

Multiple Locations · Office of the Secretary of the Interior

$112,824โ€“$183,358/yr GW-13 Apply by Jun 23

๐Ÿ’ฐ ~$185Kโ€“$310K a season with overtime & hazard pay (est.)

View & Apply

Fire Dispatching GACC Manager

Salt Lake City, Utah · Office of the Secretary of the Interior

$112,824โ€“$146,671/yr GW-13 Apply by Jun 30

๐Ÿ’ฐ ~$162Kโ€“$272K a season with overtime & hazard pay (est.)

View & Apply

Supervisory Wildland Firefighter (Aviation) (Branch Chief) - Direct Hire Authority

Multiple Locations · Office of the Secretary of the Interior

$129,549โ€“$168,420/yr GW-14 Apply by Jun 26

๐Ÿ’ฐ ~$187Kโ€“$312K a season with overtime & hazard pay (est.)

View & Apply

Wildland Firefighter (Fuels Management (Tech)

Craig, Colorado · Office of the Secretary of the Interior

$62,570โ€“$94,687/yr GW-7โ€“9 Apply by Jun 29

๐Ÿ’ฐ ~$98Kโ€“$165K a season with overtime & hazard pay (est.)

View & Apply

Wildland Firefighter (Fuels Management)

Washington · Office of the Secretary of the Interior

$81,860โ€“$122,217/yr GW-9โ€“11 Apply by Jun 26

๐Ÿ’ฐ ~$128Kโ€“$214K a season with overtime & hazard pay (est.)

View & Apply

Wildland Firefighter

Multiple Locations · Office of the Secretary of the Interior

$57,670โ€“$74,970/yr GW-6 Apply by Jun 23

๐Ÿ’ฐ ~$83Kโ€“$139K a season with overtime & hazard pay (est.)

View & Apply

Supervisory Wildland Firefighter (Assistant Fire Management Officer)

California · Office of the Secretary of the Interior

$83,639โ€“$126,768/yr GW-11 Apply by Jun 23

๐Ÿ’ฐ ~$132Kโ€“$220K a season with overtime & hazard pay (est.)

View & Apply

Wildland Firefighter (Helitack) - Direct Hire Authority

Fort Defiance, Arizona · Office of the Secretary of the Interior

$57,670โ€“$74,970/yr GW-6 Apply by Jun 22

๐Ÿ’ฐ ~$83Kโ€“$139K a season with overtime & hazard pay (est.)

View & Apply

Wildland Firefighter (Fuels)

Brazoria, Texas · Office of the Secretary of the Interior

$83,994โ€“$125,403/yr GW-9โ€“11 Apply by Jun 25

๐Ÿ’ฐ ~$131Kโ€“$219K a season with overtime & hazard pay (est.)

View & Apply

Supervisory Wildland Firefighter (Wildland Fire Operations Technician)

California · Office of the Secretary of the Interior

$78,166โ€“$101,609/yr GW-10 Apply by Oct 12

๐Ÿ’ฐ ~$113Kโ€“$188K a season with overtime & hazard pay (est.)

View & Apply

Wildland Firefighter (Assistant Engine Captain)

California · Office of the Secretary of the Interior

$57,670โ€“$94,830/yr GW-6โ€“7 Apply by Sep 20

๐Ÿ’ฐ ~$95Kโ€“$160K a season with overtime & hazard pay (est.)

View & Apply

Supervisory Wildland Firefighter (Engine Captain)

California · Office of the Secretary of the Interior

$67,617โ€“$102,474/yr GW-8 Apply by Sep 17

๐Ÿ’ฐ ~$107Kโ€“$178K a season with overtime & hazard pay (est.)

View & Apply

Wildland Firefighter Jobs by State

Where federal wildland fire crews hire. Click a state to see which towns hire, what crews, how many entry-level spots a year, and when they post.

State Jobs since 2016 Entry-level Open now Entry-level open
California 3,187 777 6 โ€”
Idaho 2,569 761 2 โ€”
Oregon 2,320 598 3 โ€”
Montana 1,992 629 1 1
Arizona 1,978 696 3 1
Colorado 1,919 593 3 โ€”
Wyoming 1,756 621 โ€” โ€”
New Mexico 1,696 547 1 โ€”
Washington 1,621 440 4 โ€”
Utah 1,591 443 2 โ€”
Nevada 1,318 390 โ€” โ€”
South Dakota 1,090 440 1 โ€”
Alaska 869 178 โ€” โ€”
Minnesota 614 220 1 โ€”
Florida 561 172 1 โ€”
Virginia 558 230 โ€” โ€”
Michigan 541 205 โ€” โ€”
Tennessee 521 177 1 1
North Carolina 514 130 โ€” โ€”
Mississippi 457 143 โ€” โ€”
Oklahoma 457 207 1 โ€”
Georgia 453 151 1 โ€”
Illinois 449 195 1 โ€”
Texas 435 157 3 โ€”
Arkansas 433 183 โ€” โ€”
Missouri 425 147 1 โ€”
South Carolina 424 130 โ€” โ€”
Kentucky 408 107 โ€” โ€”
Wisconsin 406 162 โ€” โ€”
North Dakota 364 175 โ€” โ€”
Louisiana 347 110 1 โ€”
West Virginia 329 117 โ€” โ€”
Alabama 282 100 โ€” โ€”
Nebraska 280 125 โ€” โ€”
Pennsylvania 273 129 โ€” โ€”
Indiana 240 96 2 โ€”
New Hampshire 232 95 โ€” โ€”
Ohio 230 90 โ€” โ€”
Vermont 172 69 โ€” โ€”
Kansas 133 69 โ€” โ€”

Counts from a decade of federal USAJOBS announcements. States with little wildland-fire hiring aren't listed.

New to this? Start here.

Federal job postings are full of codes and abbreviations. Here's the plain-English version so the table below makes sense.

"Series" = a job-type code
The government sorts every job into a numbered category called a series. Wildland fire jobs mostly live under series 0456 and 0462. Think of it like a job-board category.
GS vs. GW = the pay scale
GS (General Schedule) is the standard federal pay scale. GW is the newer, higher pay scale created just for wildland firefighters in 2024. A "GW" job pays more than the old "GS" equivalent.
The grade number (e.g. GW-4)
The number after the pay scale is the grade โ€” higher means more pay and responsibility. First-year firefighters with no experience usually start at GW-3, GW-4, or GW-5.
Hourly vs. salary
Most rookie fire jobs are seasonal/temporary and paid by the hour. Permanent jobs list an annual salary. Either way, overtime and hazard pay during fire season are extra โ€” often a big chunk of a season's earnings. For the full picture, see how much wildland firefighters make by grade.

Federal Fire Job Codes & What They Pay

Every federal fire-related series, how many jobs are open right now, and the pay range straight from today's postings. The top two rows (0456 and 0462) are the real wildland-firefighter jobs most rookies want.

Job code & name What it covers Open
now		 Hourly pay
(seasonal)		 Yearly salary
(permanent)
Series 0456 Wildland Fire Management The job code built just for wildland firefighters. Engine crews, hotshots, helitack, and fuels work all live here. 19 $23.20โ€“$25.37 $48,424โ€“$183,358
Series 0462 Forestry Technician The older fire job code. For years this is where most first-year hand crew and hotshot jobs were posted. 1 โ€” $61,722โ€“$80,243
Series 0401 Natural Resources & Biological Sciences Science-leaning roles โ€” biologists and prescribed-burn (planned fire) specialists. Only some are fire jobs. โ€” โ€” โ€”
Series 0025 Park Ranger National Park Service rangers. A handful also pull wildland-fire duty. โ€” โ€” โ€”
Series 0081 Fire Protection & Prevention Mostly building/structure firefighters on military bases โ€” not the wildland fire line. โ€” โ€” โ€”
Series 2151 Dispatching The people who coordinate crews, engines, and aircraft by radio. Support role, not on the fire line. โ€” โ€” โ€”

"Open now" and pay are the wildland-fire jobs we track in series 0456 and 0462 (the other rows just explain the codes). Pay shown is base pay only from currently open postings; overtime and hazard pay during fire season are on top. Job data refreshes hourly from USAJOBS. See how much wildland firefighters make once overtime, hazard, and incident pay are added.

Fire-crew terms, decoded

Engine crew
Firefighters who work off a fire engine โ€” pumping water and hose lays. Common first job.
Hand crew
A 20-person crew that digs fire line by hand with tools. The classic entry point.
Hotshot
An elite, highly-trained hand crew sent to the toughest parts of big fires.
Helitack
Crews flown to fires by helicopter for fast initial attack.
Fuels
Work that reduces "fuel" (brush, dead trees) before it can burn โ€” often prescribed burns.
Prescribed burn
A planned, controlled fire set on purpose to clear fuel and lower wildfire risk.
Dispatch
The radio coordinators who send crews, engines, and aircraft where they're needed.
FMO
Fire Management Officer โ€” a senior leader who runs a unit's fire program.

Hiring comes in waves

Each bar is one day over the last 12 months: how many federal wildland fire jobs were open. The high was 174 open at once in August. If today (the dark green bar) looks quiet, that's normal โ€” most of next summer's jobs post between late summer and January, so that's the window to be ready for.

Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun

Counted from each announcement's posted open and close dates (job codes 0456 + 0462), so it can differ slightly from today's live count above.