The U.S. Forest Service is looking for new wildland firefighters in Oregon and Washington.
Jason Heinz is in workforce development with the Forest Service. He said they’d like to hire 200 entry-level firefighters for permanent, six- to nine-month positions. He said these positions include benefits and a retirement plan, and run longer than summertime, temporary jobs.
“Whether it’s within our own region or other regions throughout the nation, fires are starting sooner and going longer into the season," he told KLCC. Heinz said the summer fire season includes intense periods of 60- to 80- hour weeks, but there's other work as well. "These positions help out with fuel reduction work within our prescribed burning arena,” he said.
Heinz said new hires will typically start in March or April, but each year is different. He said this year, for example, “Our fire season kind of kicked off a little sooner than average, I would say, in the Pacific Northwest. And in this last week or so, temperatures have moderated and we’ve had an opportunity to catch most of these fires.”
Heinz said the group is a national resource, and has helped with fires across the country, as well as in Canada and Australia, and has assisted with FEMA responses to hurricanes and floods.
Heinz said anyone interested in a tough, outdoor job with lots of camaraderie can apply at USAJobs.gov through September 24. There’s also an in-person hiring event at the Deschutes County Fairgrounds in Redmond on September 12.
There are more than 1,500 fire positions spread across the National Forests of Alaska, Oregon and Washington. A link to the PNW Forest Service "Fire Hire" website is here.
