Working in Wildland Fire

Two firefighters with driptorches ignite vegetation along a path.
Firefighters use driptorches to ignite the Goliath Prescribed Burn at Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks in 2016.

NPS/R PATERSON

Employment with the National Park Service (NPS) offers exciting opportunities for anyone who wants to make public lands a better place for all. NPS Fire and Aviation Management seeks motivated and enthusiastic people who will work safely together to be successful. Our interagency wildland firefighters are the best trained and the best equipped firefighters in the world. We have a place for you!

Beyond firefighters on handcrews, engine crews, and modules, NPS wildland fire management includes vital personnel such as administrative assistants, budget analysts, dispatchers, fire communication and education specialists, fire planners, fire ecologists, fire effects monitors, smoke management specialists, post-fire emergency repair specialists, and support personnel in parks, regional and national offices, and geographic area coordination centers (GACCs). They all have a place in making wildland fire management successful. Together, they work for the common goals of wildland fire and fuels (vegetation) management. We have a place for you!

The NPS’s wildland fire management program includes nearly 400 permanent employees and 600 seasonal employees. NPS both assists and receives assistance from our partners to manage fires, and to enhance public lands through fuels reduction projects. Whether directly working on a fireline with a crew, or working in another expertise, NPS employees spend thousands of hours supporting the nation’s wildland fire and fuels management efforts.

The National Park Service has been partnering with conservation corps organizations across the country to create opportunities in wildland fire for women and veterans, and plans to continue hosting conservation crews in the future.


A firefighter patrols a prescribed burn.
Careers in Wildland Fire

Explore different careers from front-line firefighters to information officers, fire scientists to fuels specialists.

wildland fire fighter watching a burn
Current Job Opportunities

Discover what wildland fire jobs are available today.

A group of fire staff on an overlook at Yosemite National Park.
Why the National Park Service

Learn what makes the National Park Service different when it comes to wildland fire management.

Questions about our careers or the application process? Email us!

Highlights


Last updated: March 18, 2024