BLM Fire team from California Desert District hosts successful hiring event

The California Desert Interagency Fire Program recently held a hiring event in Riverside, California to fill over 40 wildland firefighter and support positions for the 2024 Fire Year. The event drew in over one hundred attendees seeking opportunities in firefighting and dispatching.

The Fire Program’s meticulous planning quickly paid off during the weekend. Six teams conducted 129 interviews on-site, eight of which were conducted remotely.

Staff from the BLM California State Office and Human Resources, played a pivotal role, providing valuable insights in breakout sessions on resume building and navigating the USAJOBS website.

For a unique touch, fire engines and equipment were displayed on-site where participants could get a firsthand look into the Fire Program’s operational procedures and engage with the tools and technology used to safeguard our landscapes.

“The event helped us recruit dedicated and talented individuals for wildland firefighting and dispatching,” said Paul Gibbs, BLM Fire Chief for the California Desert Interagency Fire Program.

The California Desert Interagency Fire Program is comprised of Federal, State, and local wildland firefighting agencies working together with communities to prevent or lessen fire danger in southern California. Thanks to an interagency cooperative fire protection agreement, Californians have one of the best coordinated fire suppression efforts in the country. The California Desert District manages 12 million acres of BLM-managed public lands in the state.

BLM California will be hosting an additional hiring event in Sacramento from February 2-4, 2024 and will be filling more than 70 positions throughout the state. To learn more, please visit the event webpage.