Forest Firefighters

Course Advisor; United States; On-site; USD 25,170 - 88,920; Full time

Job summary

Course Advisor seeks a dedicated Forest Firefighter responsible for controlling and suppressing fires in forests. This role involves felling trees, maintaining contact with fire dispatchers, and observing forest areas from lookout towers. Candidates should possess active listening and monitoring skills, as well as the ability to educate the public about fire prevention. Familiarity with tools like Microsoft Office is also required. The average salary ranges from $25,170 to $88,920 per year.

Qualifications

• Ability to control and suppress fires in forests or public land.
• Maintaining contact with fire dispatchers for supplies.
• Observing forest areas from lookout towers.

Responsibilities

• Fell trees and clear brush to create firelines.
• Inform and educate the public about fire prevention.
• Perform forest maintenance tasks such as cutting brush and planting trees.

Skills

Active Listening

Speaking

Monitoring

Coordination

Operation Monitoring

Judgment and Decision Making

Tools

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Office

Web browser software

Microsoft Access

Email software

Corel WordPerfect

Fire incident reporting systems

Job description

Forest Firefighter

Control and suppress fires in forests or vacant public land.

What Do Forest Firefighters Do On a Daily Basis?

• Fell trees, cut and clear brush, and dig trenches to create firelines, using axes, chainsaws, or shovels.
• Maintain contact with fire dispatchers at all times to notify them of the need for additional firefighters and supplies, or to detail any difficulties encountered.
• Observe forest areas from fire lookout towers to spot potential problems.
• Maintain fire equipment and firehouse living quarters.
• Inform and educate the public about fire prevention.
• Perform forest maintenance and improvement tasks, such as cutting brush, planting trees, building trails, and marking timber.

Skills Needed to be a Forest Firefighter

• Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
• Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
• Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
• Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others’ actions.
• Operation Monitoring: Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
• Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Related Job Titles

• Fire Management Specialist
• Forest Firefighter
• Smoke Eater
• Wildland Fire Fighter Specialist
• Water and Fire Technician

Job Outlook for Forest Firefighters

In 2016, there was an estimated number of 327,300 jobs in the United States for Forest Firefighters. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 7.2% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 23,600 new jobs for Forest Firefighters by 2026. There will be an estimated 24,300 positions for Forest Firefighters per year. The states with the most job growth for Forest Firefighters are Utah, Texas, and Nevada, while New Jersey, Maryland, and Alaska have the least job growth.

Do Forest Firefighters Make A Lot Of Money?

The average yearly salary of a Forest Firefighter ranges between $25,170 and $88,920.

What Tools & Technology do Forest Firefighters Use?

• Microsoft Excel
• Microsoft Word
• Microsoft Office
• Web browser software
• Microsoft Access
• Email software
• Corel WordPerfect
• Fire incident reporting systems