Description
Suppress and manage wildland fires in forests, grasslands, and the wildland-urban interface. Duties include fire prevention and education, fuels reduction, constructing and holding fireline, firing operations, operating engines and hand tools, mop-up and patrol, emergency medical response, search and rescue, and disaster assistance.
- • Evacuate and assist civilians and hikers from wildfire areas and accident sites.
- • Wear wildland PPE and line gear, including Nomex clothing, hard hat, gloves, and fire shelter.
- • Size up fires and report conditions, location, and needs via handheld radios.
- • Advance on the fire edge using knowledge of fuels, weather, and topography to select safe tactics.
- • Respond to initial attack, extended attack, and prescribed fire assignments.
- • Cut handline and remove vegetation using pulaskis, shovels, chainsaws, and brush cutters.
- • Drive and operate wildland engines, water tenders, UTVs, and portable pumps.
- • Mop up and cold trail after containment to locate and extinguish hot spots.
- • Deploy and manage progressive hose lays; operate nozzles, foam, and gel systems.
- • Maintain communication with dispatch and supervisors to request resources and report progress.
- • Work as part of a hand crew, engine crew, helitack, or dozer team within the Incident Command System.
- • Patrol control lines and burned areas to detect and mitigate flare-ups.
- • Coordinate with law enforcement and land managers on evacuations, road closures, and investigations.
- • Participate in readiness drills, pack tests, and live-fire training.
- • Stay current on wildland tactics, LCES, and risk management through trainings and briefings.
- • Complete fire reports, crew time, and incident documentation.
- • Maintain high physical fitness to hike steep terrain carrying 45-65 lb packs.
- • Defend structures in the wildland-urban interface by clearing fuels, installing sprinklers, and applying foam.
- • Conduct public outreach on defensible space, fire-adapted communities, and burn restrictions.
- • Conduct firing operations with drip torches and fusees to burn out and secure control lines when directed.
- • Rehabilitate and repair firelines, access roads, and disturbed areas after incidents.
- • Navigate using maps, GPS, and compass; establish lookouts, communications, escape routes, and safety zones.
- • Clean, sharpen, and service hand tools, chainsaws, pumps, and engines; maintain crew facilities and vehicles.
- • Provide basic first aid and CPR; assist medevac and patient transport as needed.
- • Operate portable and vehicle-mounted pumps and manage water supply.
- • Conduct searches for missing persons in wildland terrain when requested.
- • Mentor and train new crew members in wildland fire safety and suppression techniques.
- • Perform defensible space and fuelbreak inspections for hazards and compliance with guidelines.
- • Identify and mitigate hazards such as snags, rolling material, downed power lines, and hazardous smoke conditions.
- • Extinguish flames and embers with hand tools, dirt, water, and backpack pumps.
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Last reviewed: Jan 2026
