BLM to host hiring open house for Central California seasonal wildland fire positions
Organization
BLM Office:
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – The Bureau of Land Management Central California District is accepting applications for 2019 summer seasonal wildland firefighting jobs. There are fire positions available for hotshot, handcrew and engine crew members; heavy equipment operators and dispatcher personnel based in Bakersfield, Bishop, Placerville and Porterville.
BLM’s Kern Valley Hotshots are based in Bakersfield and the Folsom Lake Veteran Handcrew is located in Placerville. The Bishop Field Office and Inyo National Forest combine efforts through the Interagency Fire Management located in Bishop. The Central California Interagency Communication Center in Porterville and the Owens Valley Interagency Communication Center in Bishop handle dispatch for the BLM and cooperating agencies including the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the U.S. Forest Service. Seasonal firefighters usually work from late April to early October.
On Dec. 14, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the Bakersfield Field Office will offer tours of the fire station, engines and heavy equipment. In addition, BLM staff will offer resume tips and explain the USAJobs application process as well as give the public a feel for what it’s like to work on a fire crew.
The BLM is the only federal agency to have an established all-veteran wildland firefighting component in its Fire and Aviation organization. Since the inception of the program in 2012, the BLM has trained more than 700 veterans and employed more than 130, some of whom have moved on to other positions within BLM to work in natural resources management.
To receive early consideration, job applications must be filed by Dec. 18 for the hotshot, engine and equipment operator positions. Job announcements, including qualifications, salaries, application instructions and application deadlines, are available at www.usajobs.gov. All applications must be filed online.
Applicants should look for announcement numbers:
BLM-FIRE-2019-002-DE (hotshot firefighter);
BLM-FIRE-2019-003-DE (lead hotshot firefighter);
BLM-FIRE-2019-004-DE (engines);
BLM-FIRE-2019-015-DE (fire dispatcher);
BLM-FIRE-2019-016-DE (fire dispatcher);
BLM-FIRE-2019-022-DE (wildland firefighter);
BLM-FIRE-2019-035-DE (equipment operator).
Information on these jobs is available from BLM offices and stations in Bakersfield, 661-391-6000; Bishop, 760-872-5000; Placerville, 916-350-1443 and Porterville, 559-782-3120. For information on the Bakersfield open house, please call Kyle Clendenen at 661-391-6000.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.