Wildland firefighters are tasked with combating wildfires and preventing future fires from starting. Wildland firefighting agencies operate at the federal level (National Park Service, Forest Service Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Indian Affairs), the state level (Fish and Game, Land Management, Emergency Services, Fire and Rescue) at the contracting level (Private Wildland contractors, such as Oregon Woods, Inc.) and at the local level where forest land lies within the incorporated area. While some wildland firefighters work year-round and some work only during the fire season, the work is always strenuous and positions are always highly competitive.
Most duties are
related to prescribed burning, wildfire suppression, and fire preparedness. These duties
include serving as a firefighter or engine operator during prescribed burning and wildfire
suppression activities; conducting regular maintenance and repairs on various
equipment such as fire engines, tractors, mowers, chain saws, and hand tools; serving
as a crew member during fire break preparation which involves rock removal, mowing,
trimming, tree and brush removal. You may have the potential to assist federal or state agencies throughout the nation with prescribed burning and
wildfire suppression.