Public Safety

How to become a Wildland Firefighter

From no experience: every step, how long it takes, and the credential it earns.

Time to get there

1–4 months

Typical pay

$38k–$58k

Starting from

No experience

Pay is an estimate of typical US entry-level pay for this role and varies by state, employer and shift. The timeline assumes you are starting from no experience and includes any licence or programme legally required, not just course length.

The route

1. 1

   2–4 weeks

   Get your red card

   Basic wildland training (S-130/S-190) plus the arduous pack test.

   ◆ NWCG Incident Qualification Card

2. 2

   1–4 months

   Apply for a seasonal crew

   Federal hiring opens in autumn for the following summer. Deadlines are strict.

3. 3

   1 season

   Work a season

   Said plainly: long hours, hazard pay and overtime are the income. Base pay alone is low.

4. 4

   2–5 years

   Build toward a career appointment

   Hotshot crews, engine captain, or across into permanent federal fire roles.

5. ✓

   Destination

   Wildland Firefighter

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