National Park Service

Based on publicly available information on the NPS's resources, we can make some assumptions about where the opportunities are to work for the NPS. The chart above assumes the following:

• Aviation Crews = 10 people per crew
• Engine Crews = 4 people per crew
• Hotshot Crews = 20 people per crew
• Type 2 Crews = 20 people per crew
• Wildland Fire Modules = 10 people per crew

Entry-Level Opportunities

Type 2 Hand Crews

The NPS has one Type 2 Handcrew that we could determine, and they're based on the National Park of American Samoa. Yes. You read that correctly. In the middle of the South Pacific, there is a Type 2 Hand Crew. And they regularly come to the Lower 48 during the summer for assignments.

They've gained a little notoriety on the internet as the "Singing Crew". Here's a post from the National Park Service's Facebook page about them along with a video montage talking about them and their background. Our assumption would be that there would be a strong preference for hiring local Samoans to staff this crew. We visited Travelocity to see how much a ticket from San Francisco to Pago Pago, American Samoa would be and we couldn't even find a flight. So if you're in American Samoa and looking to get on a Type 2 hand crew, you're in luck! If you're looking for a way to spend fire season in a tropical paradise, this probably isn't gonna work for you. Maybe look to San Diego instead?

Hotshot Crews

The NPS has 2 hotshot crews. In order to remain compliant with NWCG standards, 80% of the crew must have at least 1 year of fire experience. Which means that each year, each crew can hire, at most, 4 rookies. So there are technically 8 rookie spots available across the two NPS hotshot crews each year.

Engine Crews

With 108 engines in the NPS's fleet, this presents the best area for an entry-level firefighter to break in. Now, it's a bit tough to determine precisely how many people are employed year over year on these engines because, depending on the type of engine, staffing levels might vary. For instance, a Type 3 Engine (the largest wildland fire engine) might have 5-7 firefighters assigned to it, while a smaller rig, like a Type 6 engine, might only have 4 or 5 firefighters assigned to it. Also included in this might be patrol rigs or prevention rigs, which might only be staffed by 1 or 2 firefighters. That being said, 432 is our best estimation based on the information available to us. Assuming that each engine could hire 1 - 2 rookies per year, you're looking at somewhere between 108 and 216 entry-level opportunities.

By the numbers alone, your best chance to get on with the NPS for the fire season will be on an engine crew. There are simply more spots available than anywhere else.

Wildland Fire Modules

Of the 48 active wildland fire modules, 6 of those modules are Park Service. And a wildland fire module can have between 7-10 crew members. Depending on the crew, between 4-7 of those roles could be designated for entry-level crew member. So, assuming all crews are maximally-staffed (10 crew members), there are 42 crew member positions available. Assuming  minimal staffing (7 crew members), there are approximately 24 positions available. Obviously, the true number lies somewhere in between. And while there is not a specific requirement that crew members have previous fire experience, per NWCG guidelines on WFMs, it would be fair to assume that each crew would limit their hiring of rookies to 1 or 2 per crew per season. So assuming that is the case, there are as few as 6 entry-level positions available, or as many as 12 positions. Again, the true number is most likely somewhere in the middle.

Aviation Crews

No entry-level positions are available on a helitack crew. All helitack crews require at least one year of fire experience.

Interested in a job with the National Park Service? Visit USAJOBS.gov to view openings.