three images depicting different firefighting jobs

California Wildland Fire Hiring Events

Fire Hire Video Graphic

The Bureau of Land Management is holding a hiring event in California to quickly fill over 100 wildland firefighter and support positions for the 2025 Fire Year. Applicants are encouraged to attend the in-person event, but may apply online in advance.

During the in-person event, hiring officials will be available onsite to answer questions, review resumes, conduct interviews and help you navigate the application process.

View a map and list of BLM California fire modules and their locations.
 

Upcoming Hiring Events

December 12- 14, 2024

Apple Valley Fire Center
18809 Central Road
Apple Valley, California 92307

(Google Map)

Hours: 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM


January 30 - February 2, 2025

Bakersfield Field Office
35126 McMurtrey Ave.
Bakersfield, California 93308 

(Google Map)

 

Hours: 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM

 


February 7-8, 2025

Carson Valley Inn
In the Topaz Room
1627 Hwy 395 N
Minden, NV 89423

(Google Map)

 

Hours: 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM

 

March 4-5, 2025

Hidden Valley Fire Station
1709 HWY 139
Susanville, CA 96130

(Google Map)

 

Hours: 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM

 

March 6-7, 2025

Surprise Valley Fire Station
602 Cressler St.
Cedarville, CA 96104

(Google Map)

 

Hours: 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM

 

There will also be a LIVE Q&A where applicants can ask questions of current wildland fire personnel. Interviews may be scheduled up until 4 pm each day. 

If you can't attend in person but still want to apply online, check out our protips for landing your first fire job.

Fire fighter tending to a prescribed burn

Frequently Asked Questions

Where are the vacancies located?

BLM California has positions located throughout the state. When you look at a position on USAJOBS, you can find available locations under "Overview” in the column on the right.

Are the jobs permanent or temporary? Year-round or seasonal?

The available jobs may include full-time permanent, temporary seasonal and permanent seasonal vacancies.

  • Full-time permanent positions are employed year-round.
  • Temporary seasonal positions are employed for roughly six months per year for only one year.
  • Permanent seasonal positions are employed for a minimum of six months per year on a recurring basis.

What positions are being filled?

The available positions may include wildland firefighters for engines, hotshots, handcrews, helitack, and dispatchers. A summary of position types is available on the National Interagency Fire Center's wildland fire job page. Detailed position and wildland fire qualification information is available in the National Wildland Fire Coordinating Group's position catalog.

Do I have to attend in-person to apply?

No. Attending in-person provides the opportunity to speak directly with hiring officials, which can be beneficial if you haven't held a federal job before.​ If you can't attend in person, check out our protips for landing your first fire job. Qualified applicants will be considered regardless of whether they applied online or in person, and may be offered a position on-the-spot.

Do I have to apply online in advance?

No. However, it is highly recommended to apply in advance during the open application period listed so applicants can schedule their in-person interviews during the event. Applicants may submit applications in-person and still have an interview at the event without applying online, they will just have to wait for an open interview time.

During the in-person event, hiring officials will be available onsite to answer questions, review resumes, conduct interviews and help you navigate the application process. For those that are selected, job offers may be made on-the-spot.

Do I need firefighting experience to apply?

Some of the available positions are entry level and require no firefighting experience. With few exceptions, entry level positions require applicants to be under the age of 37.  For more information about exceptions please carefully read the requirements in the job listing on USAJOBS.

What do I need to bring with me? 

  • Complete resume 
  • IQCS report or other training records, if applicable

How soon will I know if I’ve been hired?

Some tentative job offers may be made on-site, pending background checks, drug screenings, and a medical exam. Other applicants will be notified a couple of weeks following the event.

Can I bring my family with me? 

Yes. They must stay outside the interview rooms. There will be fire engines on display and crews available to chat with, so you and your family can learn about your future career! 

How long should I expect to be there? 

It could take several hours to go through the whole process.

I'm not feeling well. Should I still attend?

The fire year in California is year-round, and we want everyone to stay healthy. If you aren't feeling well, please don't attend. You can apply for positions online throughout the year using USAJobs.

USAJOBS

APPLY NOW

For questions, contact: BLM_CA_NowHiring@blm.gov

 

How to Apply Videos

 

Types of Crews

Check out these videos to learn about our BLM Fire resources and the work they do to protect our public lands.

 

View Past Webinars

Fire Hire Webinar Thumbnail

Bureau of Land Management firefighters give an overview of the different types of firefighter modules and crews, and reviews locations of available positions. Please note that this webinar was conducted in the Fall of 2023. While the information about the different positions and locations is correct (as of December 2024), the event dates mentioned have passed. For current event dates see the list of events on this page.