Wildland Firefighter Careers

Become a Wildland Firefighter

Join the Fight, Forge Lifelong Bonds

Wildland firefighting is more than a job—it’s a calling. Our firefighters protect vast wilderness, save animals and homes, and stand as the first line of defense against wildfires threatening lives and landscapes. It’s grueling work, but it’s also a chance to join a tight-knit brotherhood and sisterhood, forge friendships that last a lifetime, and make a real difference. Ready to step up? Here’s how to become a wildland firefighter, the roles you can take on, and what it’s like to be part of this incredible crew.

How to Get Started

Becoming a wildland firefighter with the Caribou-Targhee National Forest starts with a few key steps:

• Age and Basics: You must be at least 18, a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, and have a high school diploma or GED.
• Physical Fitness: The job demands peak condition. You’ll need to pass the “Arduous” Work Capacity Test—walking 3 miles with a 45-pound pack in under 45 minutes—simulating the stamina needed to hike rugged terrain with gear.
• Apply: Most entry-level jobs are seasonal (May-September) and posted on USAJobs.gov from August to October. Search for “Wildland Firefighter” or “Forestry Technician (Fire)” in Idaho Falls or nearby districts like Ashton or Soda Springs. No experience? No problem—many start fresh and train on the job.
• Training: Expect to complete basic courses like S-130 (Firefighter Training), S-190 (Introduction to Wildland Fire Behavior), and I-100 (Incident Command System) during your first weeks. These earn you a “Red Card”—your ticket to the fireline.

No college degree is required, but a fire science certificate or volunteer firefighting experience can boost your odds.

Positions in Wildland Firefighting

Wildland firefighting offers a range of roles, from entry-level grunts to elite specialists. Here’s a breakdown:

• Firefighter Type 2 (FFT2): The starting point for most. You’ll dig firelines with hand tools, mop up hotspots, and clear brush—backbreaking but foundational work on hand crews, engine crews, or helitack teams.
• Firefighter Type 1 (FFT1): A step up, leading small squads of FFT2s. You’ll make tactical calls on the fireline and need a season or two of experience plus extra training.
• Engine Crews: Drive and operate fire engines, pumping water or foam to douse flames. Requires mechanical know-how and S-211 (Portable Pumps) training.
• Helitack Crews: Deploy via helicopter for rapid response, dropping into remote fires with gear and water buckets. Additional helicopter safety training (S-271) is a must.
• Hotshot Crews: Elite, mobile teams like the Caribou-Targhee’s own, tackling the toughest fires nationwide. Requires FFT1 quals, top fitness, and grit—apply after a few seasons.
• Smokejumpers: Parachute into wildfires, a rare role needing parachuting certs and years of experience. Not based in Caribou-Targhee but a career goal for some.

Most begin as FFT2s on hand crews—shovels in hand, boots in the dirt—learning the ropes alongside seasoned firefighters.

Where You Start: The Entry-Level Experience

Newbies typically kick off as Firefighter Type 2s on a hand crew. In Caribou-Targhee, that might mean joining a 20-person crew out of Palisades or Dubois, cutting firelines through pine stands or sagebrush. You’ll haul a 45-pound pack—chainsaws, water, and tools—over steep trails, often in smoke and heat. It’s tough: 14-day assignments, 12-hour shifts, sleeping in tents or on the ground. But it’s where you earn your stripes, learn fire behavior, and bond with your crew—your new family.

Pay starts around $15-$17/hour (GS-3/4 level), with overtime and hazard pay boosting earnings during fire season. Many return year after year, climbing to FFT1 or specialized roles.

Training: Building Your Skills

Training is hands-on and ongoing, turning rookies into pros:

• Basic Fire Academy: Your first weeks include S-130/S-190—classroom and field sessions on fire suppression, safety, and behavior—plus a pack test. Caribou-Targhee often hosts these at district stations like Soda Springs.
• Annual Refreshers: Every season starts with RT-130, a refresher on fireline safety and tactics, including deploying fire shelters—crucial for emergencies.
• Specialized Courses: Want to run a chainsaw (S-212) or join helitack (S-271)? Extra classes open doors to advanced roles.
• On-the-Job: Most learning happens live—cutting line beside veterans, reading wind shifts, and mastering the “out cold” process to douse fires safely.

Training builds confidence and camaraderie—you’ll sweat and learn together, forging trust that lasts.

Life on a Crew: Brotherhood and Sisterhood

Being on a wildland crew is like joining a second family. In Caribou-Targhee, you might bunk with your 20-person hand crew near Ashton/Island Park, sharing meals (sometimes MREs, sometimes camp-cooked grub) and stories after a long shift. The work is brutal—hiking miles, digging through ash, facing flames—but the bond is unbreakable. You’ll lean on each other in smoky canyons, celebrate small wins (a line held, a hotspot snuffed), and mourn losses together.

This brotherhood and sisterhood shines brightest in the grind: a teammate hands you water when you’re beat, or you pull a friend from a sketchy spot. Lifelong friendships form fast—many say their crewmates are siblings for life. It’s a culture of grit, humor, and mutual respect, whether you’re a rookie or a grizzled hotshot.

The Mission: Saving Animals, Homes, People, and Forests

Wildland firefighters are guardians. In Caribou-Targhee, you’ll:

• Save Animals: Clear escape routes for elk and bears, or protect trout streams like Diamond Creek from sediment after burns.
• Protect Homes: Build firelines near communities like Swan Valley, keeping flames at bay—last summer, crews stopped a blaze just yards from cabins.
• Rescue People: Evacuate hikers or aid injured locals, often with basic first aid skills honed on the job.
• Put Out Fires: Use hand tools, hoses, and backburns to halt wildfires, like the 2022 Sawtell Peak Fire, preserving millions of acres for future generations.

Every shift, you’re fighting for something bigger—wilderness, wildlife, and the people who call this place home. The exhaustion fades when you see a herd safe or a family’s gratitude.

Why It’s Worth It

Wildland firefighting is dirty, dangerous, and demanding—long days in heat, smoke, and steep terrain. But the rewards outweigh the risks. You’ll stand atop a ridge, ash-streaked and proud, knowing you held the line. You’ll save a grizzly’s den, a rancher’s livelihood, or a hiker’s life. And you’ll leave each season with brothers and sisters who’d run into fire for you—and you for them.

Ready to join? Apply on USAJobs.gov this fall, or call our Idaho Falls office at (208) 557-5900. Train hard, bring heart, and step into a legacy of courage and connection in the Caribou-Targhee National Forest.