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Wildland Firefighters


Overview

Wildland Firefighters

Introduction

Wildland firefighters use a variety of tools and equipment to battle and put out wildfires in forests, grasslands, and other natural settings. They also conduct prescribed burns in order to reduce the chance of fires in high-risk areas.

Quick Facts


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Median Salary


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Employment Prospects

Good

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Minimum Education Level

Apprenticeship
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Experience

Postsecondary education
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Skills

Leadership
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Personality Traits

Hands On
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Earnings

Wildland firefighters typically earn lower salaries than traditional firefighters do. In 2021, they received average annual salaries of $35,945, according to GlassDoor.com. This is about $20,000 less than the average for traditional firefighters. Salaries for wildland firefighters ranged from $24,000 to $54,000 or more per year.

Many wildland firefighters are employed in seasonal positio...

Work Environment

Wildland firefighting is extremely dangerous work that is both physically and mentally demanding. Firefighters often spend days or even weeks in the wilderness in hot and smoky conditions as they fight fires. They live in a rustic fire camp, a temporary site set up to provide shelter and support when a wildland fire breaks out.

During severe fire seasons, wildland firefighters might be s...

Outlook

Climate change and the mismanagement of forests and other wildlands (lack of fire prevention activities, etc.) have greatly increased the number of wildland fires, and experts predict that this trend will not reverse in the near future. An average of nearly 7 million acres of federal land have burned each year since 2000, according to the Congressional Research Service. This is more than double...

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