Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists

Law, Public Safety, Corrections and SecurityO*NET 33-2022.00United States

Enforce fire regulations, inspect forest for fire hazards, and recommend forest fire prevention or control measures. May report forest fires and weather conditions.

COMING SOON See related ASU learning

Median annual earnings: $56,801
Projected change: +13.5%
Typical education: High school diploma or less
Employment: 3.95K jobs

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Build the skills

ASU learning related to this career

These courses and certificates are connected through catalog career relationships and Lightcast skill tags.

The work

What forest fire inspectors and prevention specialists do

Tasks reported for this occupation, ordered by how often they come up in the role.

Relay messages about emergencies, accidents, locations of crew and personnel, and fire hazard conditions.
Estimate sizes and characteristics of fires, and report findings to base camps by radio or telephone.
Conduct wildland firefighting training.
Direct crews working on firelines during forest fires.
Locate forest fires on area maps, using azimuth sighters and known landmarks.
Extinguish smaller fires with portable extinguishers, shovels, and axes.
Patrol assigned areas, looking for forest fires, hazardous conditions, and weather phenomena.
Compile and report meteorological data, such as temperature, relative humidity, wind direction and velocity, and types of cloud formations.
Examine and inventory firefighting equipment, such as axes, fire hoses, shovels, pumps, buckets, and fire extinguishers, to determine amount and condition.
Educate the public about fire safety and prevention.
Direct maintenance and repair of firefighting equipment, or requisition new equipment.
Maintain records and logbooks.
Administer regulations regarding sanitation, fire prevention, violation corrections, and related forest regulations.
Restrict public access and recreational use of forest lands during critical fire seasons.
Inspect camp sites to ensure that campers are in compliance with forest use regulations.
Inspect forest tracts and logging areas for fire hazards such as accumulated wastes or mishandling of combustibles, and recommend appropriate fire prevention measures.

Pay and outlook

What the job pays and where it is heading

Annual earnings range

Reported earnings by percentile, United States

10th percentile: $34,805
25th percentile: $43,214
50th percentile: $56,801
75th percentile: $80,862
90th percentile: $103,816

The gold marker shows the median. Half earn more than $56,801 and half earn less.

Employment outlook

2025 to 2035 projection

+13.5%faster than average

20253,947 jobs

2035 projected4,478 jobs

531 more positions over the decade, before replacement hiring.

Preparation

Education levels

What people currently working in the career hold. These are not entry requirements.

High school diploma or less: 31.6%
Bachelor's degree: 24%
Associate degree: 17.9%
Some college: 17.5%
Certificate: 8.9%

Skills

Skills employers ask for

Technical skills appearing most often in job postings for this occupation.

Wildfire Suppression
Fire Suppression Systems
Firefighting
Fire Management
Forestry
Wildfire Management
Fire Behavior
Incident Command Systems
Chainsaws
Fire Prevention
Fire Service
Fire Science
Incident Management
Physical Fitness
Fire-Control Systems
Hand Tools
Emergency Response
Agriculture
Resource Management
Personal Protective Equipment

How the work gets done

Core competencies

Broad capabilities associated with strong performance in this occupation.

Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Complex Problem Solving: Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Instructing: Teaching others how to do something.
Management of Personnel Resources: Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.
Time Management: Managing one's own time and the time of others.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Learning Strategies: Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Active Learning: Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Persuasion: Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Systems Evaluation: Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.
Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people.
Negotiation: Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
Systems Analysis: Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.

In the market

Job titles and employers

Recent job postings in United States

Common job titles

01Wildland Firefighters865 postings
02Wildland Firefighters/Rangers50 postings
03Fire Equipment Operators22 postings
04Lead Paramedics6 postings
05Store Crew Members6 postings
06Bosses5 postings
07Response Force Leaders5 postings
08Restaurant Crew Members5 postings
09Forest Managers4 postings
10Unmanned Aircraft Systems Repairers4 postings
11Academy Members3 postings
12Crew Foremen3 postings
13Rescue Technicians3 postings
14Natural Resources Managers2 postings
15Recovery Assistants2 postings
16Regional Liaisons2 postings
17Academy Managers1 postings
18Americorps Members1 postings
19Applied Research Scientists1 postings
20Assistant Crew Leaders1 postings

Top employers

01United States Forest Service139 postings
02Department Of The Interior in104 postings
03State of Montana65 postings
04Forestry Department35 postings
05State Of Alaska35 postings
06Office Secretary State Power PLT20 postings
07State of Idaho19 postings
08United States Fish & Wildlife Service19 postings
09State of Washington17 postings
10Georgia Department Of Transportation15 postings
11State of Florida14 postings
12United States Department of the Interior14 postings
13District Of Columbia Courts13 postings
14Team Georgia10 postings
15Commonwealth Of Pennsylvania9 postings
16Lockheed Martin9 postings
17Elko County6 postings
18Grayback Forestry6 postings
19National Park Service6 postings
20Rural Metro Fire6 postings

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