Description
Lead and supervise a wildland fire crew in suppression, prescribed fire, and WUI operations, directing tactics, safety, logistics, and coordination with incident command.
- • Assign crew members to line construction, holding, structure protection, mop-up, and rescue tasks.
- • Provide first aid within qualifications and coordinate rescue until higher-level care arrives.
- • Size up fire behavior, fuels, weather, topography, and values at risk to set crew tactics and resource needs.
- • Communicate updates, hazards, and needs to Division/Group Supervisors, Dispatch, and the crew via radio.
- • Serve as the working leader of a handcrew, engine module, or helitack module of three or more firefighters.
- • Conduct briefings and drills on fireline safety, tool use, entrapment avoidance, and medical response.
- • Inspect and maintain crew tools, PPE, pumps, chainsaws, hose, and radios for readiness.
- • Evaluate crew performance and provide coaching, mentoring, and corrective action.
- • Coordinate training plans, track task books and qualifications, and report readiness to supervisors.
- • Perform and arrange minor maintenance on vehicles and equipment; submit repair or replacement requests.
- • Schedule crew assignments, shifts, and work/rest cycles to meet incident objectives.
- • Track crew time, equipment use, and supply orders to manage incident costs.
- • Establish and brief LCES, escape routes, safety zones, and structure triage priorities.
- • Maintain IAPs, maps, crew rosters, unit logs, and time records.
- • Oversee safe operation of crew carriers and coordinate mobilization and demobilization.
- • Inspect PPE, tools, vehicles, and operations for safety compliance and correct deficiencies.
- • Review and enforce crew SOPs and ICS procedures for efficiency and compliance.
- • Direct camp setup, spike camp operations, sanitation, and demobilization cleanup.
- • Document performance and conduct issues and recommend personnel actions per policy.
- • Complete required forms, prepare reports, and deliver briefings and after-action reviews.
- • Report initial fire origin observations and hazards to investigation personnel.
- • Recommend equipment purchases or modifications to improve safety and effectiveness.
- • Conduct structure triage and defensible space assessments during WUI operations.
- • Test and deploy portable pumps, hose lays, firing devices, and other field equipment.
- • Interpret burn plans and permit conditions and ensure crew compliance during prescribed fires.
- • Evaluate burn operations and prepare post-burn summaries and lessons learned.
- • Continually reassess fire size, location, spread potential, and adjust tactics.
- • Maintain current qualifications and proficiency in wildland fire tactics and safety standards.
- • Lead assigned segments of prescribed fire operations, including ignition and holding.
- • Assist with recruiting, onboarding, and mentoring seasonal crew members.
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Tasks & skills:
O*NET occupational data (work activities, skills, knowledge).
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This site includes information from O*NET by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. Career Clutch has modified some of this information for student readability. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Last reviewed: Jan 2026
