It’s like my heart is calling me to be a wildland firefighter but in the future how am I supposed to have a family and do this job? Please give me advice and share your experience

Can anyone fill me in on timeline and info on detailing with a rappel mod this next season? Do they post on Employment Outreach or is it less formal? And are there minimum requirements for fitness and quals? Any crews to aim for or away from? Not picky on location. Thanks folks!

Title says it all. I am currently on furlough and am due up for the three year, DOI Acuity Physical. The question I have is, does the "urine dipstick" portion of the exam include a drug screening? Would really like to know if I need to "study" for this test. Thanks

I got a job offer for gs3 apprentice but then 2 weeks later I got a second offer for on the other side of the state same position/level but when I mentioned I had an offer but I was interested in the job still he offered a sign on bonus and I agreed! I waited a few days but I didn’t receive an email like the first job. I was told I should wait til after the holiday so I called today and he said he was told I turned down the offer and he’s not sure who I talked to but he said he was disappointed and wanted me as a candidate but the position was offered to someone else after me. I followed the advice and shotgunned my application to like 300 duty locations for perms back in September and I applied for seasonals last month. I called a lot of places but a lot didn’t answer or get back to me if I left a message. I got overwhelmed trying to keep track of locations i called but I feel like I got screwed out of a perm job because of a miscommunication.

I’m looking to start my first year the 2025 season, I’m located in Oregon and am debating where I should look into, I’ve found Miller Timber, Grayback and obviously fed jobs. Any advice on where to focus for first year? Gonna be seasonal as I’ll be starting college after.

Did every get their season passes to their ski resorts yet? I'm glad the fire season is done for

Can anyone just apply to be a wildland firefighter?

Or do you need certain certifications first?

Do you have to pay for your own training?

Asking because my conservation corps time is ending. I was on a field crew, but not a fire crew

I’m in southern california, but always willing to relocate.

Thank you

Im interested in becoming a wildland firefighter but have literally zero relevant experience. i know entry level requires 6mo of something. i figured completing emt training and maybe volunteering at a department would suffice? find a fire academy? what are some other ways to gain experience? what would count as relevant experience?

Hello good people of reddit, I am currently in a pickle trying to figure out what to do. I am finishing up EMT school and will have my EMT-B and be able to work by January 2025, I am debating about going into private ambulance for a bit, or going into wildland if possible. The only hinderance to this is that I have my brothers wedding in July. I dont know how getting time off works if you are hired for the season, if that is even a thing. Any information is greatly appreciated, thanks!

Hello, I’ve got a few emails saying that I got referred but this was a month or two ago and haven’t heard anything since. I noticed new applications but those were for locations I already applied for in September. Am I screwed or what’s the next step.

Hey everyone! I am a student trying to do research on wildfires and how it affects realtors abilities to close deals. I have a couple questions that I would like to ask, if anyone could answer a couple I would be beyond grateful. Thank you!

1. On a scale of 1-5 how would you rate the impact wildfires have on your ability to close deals (1 = no impact, 5 = significant impact)? 
2. What’s the biggest concern that your clients have regarding wildfire: Risk to their safety? Potential for home damage or loss? Risk to their property value? Insurance availability? Insurance affordability? 
3. Do you currently have access to wildfire data? If yes, what’s the source of this data? Do you pay for this data? If so, how much? 
4. Does wildfire risk influence the properties your buyers consider? Are buyers concerned about the cost of insuring a wildfire exposed property?
5. Do sellers worry about the impact of wildfire on the pool of potential buyers? 
6. Are sellers concerned that wildfire exposure will deter buyers from purchasing their home?

Hi, I'm a runner, and am relatively fit, and I see a lot of people here talking about how it's a fairly easy test, but I just don't seem to get it. (45 pounds, 45 minutes, 3 miles)

There's posts here like "Oh my friend John hasn't moved in 4 years, but he did it in 30 minutes, it's really easy"

I go to the gym and hike often, I've started hiking with 45 pounds, I have run tons of long distance runs, and I'm decently fast (6:28 Mile), (11:03 Mile and half)

Not being able to run makes this seem completely impossible, is there something I'm missing? Like, are they super strict about no jogging/running?

I just barely miss the 15 minute mile pace while hauling ass speed walking, so I don't really get it.

Thanks!

Hey yall,

Has anybody heard from duty stations regarding perm positions in R6? I was told it may be coming out the week after Thanksgiving, but I've seen some posts about people getting offers. If you're a hiring manager, is there any info you have on the timeline I could expect to hear from DOs?

I’m 24 and have been wanting to get into wildland firefighting for a while. I recently got an offer for a perm job out west for a GS4 IA handcrew, but I’m hesitant to leave the East Coast and move somewhere I don’t know anyone. There’s no housing provided, but I’ve found some affordable rooms with roomates. Locally, the wildfire opportunities are mostly AD, and everyone I’ve talked to has said, “If you get a spot out west, take it.”

I have a college degree but haven’t used it much. I could see myself doing wildfire for a season or two and then transitioning into PIO work. I’ll be getting my S-212 and Red Card soon, so I’m hoping that will give me a clearer picture. What are your thoughts?

Edit: Damn, I was not expecting these many comments from really insightful people. I’ll move forward with going out west. I’ll update y’all on how it goes and hopefully this will be the start to a new amazing chapter in my life.

https://youtu.be/OFneWlBnszA

I understand the differences between a Type 3 and a Type 4 (T4 has more water, less hose) but why do certain departments choose a Type 4 over a Type 3?

Type 4s seem to be used more in places like ID, MT, WY, CO, areas that are flat and grassy. I could be wrong about this.

Why do departments choose a Type 4 over a Type 3? Are T4s better suited for a specific type of terrain? Thanks in advance!

What are some in the field quality of life upgrades that you would appreciate as a holiday gift? My brother works a helicopter crew in the northwest, but the family will all be together for Christmas and I’m trying to find ideas for some gear upgrades. What are some gear, brands, or items that you wish you had for next year’s season?

Had my interview with BCWS little over a week ago, I think it went pretty well, But we’ll see, Wondering how long it takes usually to know if I got an offer or not?

So for background I'm 21, been doing Wildland Fire since I was 18. For my age I've done pretty well in terms of experience and quals. I work full time year around for a state agency that pays exceptionally. But I've been looking at trying something different instead of sticking with the same old.

Initially I was looking at the Army Reserves and doing that, technically a golden situation, get experience, keep my job and pay, get benefits. But the more I look into it, there's a lot of active duty jobs that I think I would (in theory) like and could propel me forward into a new and different direction.

I guess my question here is focused towards guys that left fire for the military and vice versa. How was the difference and was it worth it?

Also for guys that did fire and were in the reserves or national guard how did you manage both and did you feel that the combination was detrimental to you or your career?

Hey everybody I’ve been interested in wildland firefighting for the last few months, just now starting to look into the process of applying. For reference I’m 21 years old and will be graduating with a biology degree in the spring of this coming year, I also don’t have a lick of firefighting experience. Anyhow I found a position in my home state and was wondering what y’all thought about it, my only concern is I am wondering when the job actually starts, since I don’t graduate until may of next year. Thanks.

Hi I’m just getting into wildfire been wanting to do it since I got out of the navy and the opportunity arose to join a veterans wildfire crew kind of training thing out in West Virginia. Starts in January and I’ve got no idea what to expect has anyone done one of these programs and got any insight into them? Thanks in advance I appreciate it!

Are USFS AFEO jobs going out yet?

I'm 17, a senior in HS (18 in April and Graduate in May). I live in Maryland. I'm in a Highschool Fire Rescue program and have my EMT + Fire 1 and I'll have Fire 2 soon. I want to go out West and do some wildland work, but I can't find where to get started. It seems like all the fed jobs want you to list a seasons worth of wildland expierience. I'm already applying for some jobs around here but they are mostly structural, and I wanna atleast give Wildland a shot first. Is there anybody that would hire someone in my circumstance for this upcoming summer after I graduate? Not asking for specific contractors or anything, just asking where to look and how to go about this. Thanks guy, ya'll are legends.