Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists

• Summary

• Details

Work Activities

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

Skills

• Equipment Selection
  • Deciding what kind of tools and equipment are needed to do a job.
• Speaking
  • Talking to others.
• Learning Strategies
  • Using the best training or teaching strategies for learning new things.
• Instructing
  • Teaching people how to do something.
• Programming
  • Writing computer programs.
• Critical Thinking
  • Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.
• Active Learning
  • Figuring out how to use new ideas or things.
• Monitoring
  • Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements.
• Equipment Maintenance
  • Planning and doing the basic maintenance on equipment.
• Systems Evaluation
  • Measuring how well a system is working and how to improve it.
• Social Perceptiveness
  • Understanding people's reactions.
• Service Orientation
  • Looking for ways to help people.
• Troubleshooting
  • Figuring out what is causing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs to not work.
• Negotiation
  • Bringing people together to solve differences.
• Operation and Control
  • Using equipment or systems.
• Science
  • Using scientific rules and strategies to solve problems.
• Mathematics
  • Using math to solve problems.
• Coordination
  • Changing what is done based on other people's actions.
• Management of Financial Resources
  • Making spending decisions and keeping track of what is spent.
• Quality Control Analysis
  • Testing how well a product or service works.
• Operations Analysis
  • Figuring out what a product or service needs to be able to do.
• Installation
  • Installing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs.
• Technology Design
  • Making equipment and technology useful for customers.
• Management of Personnel Resources
  • Selecting and managing the best workers for a job.
• Reading Comprehension
  • Reading work-related information.
• Management of Material Resources
  • Managing equipment and materials.
• Operations Monitoring
  • Watching gauges, dials, or display screens to make sure a machine is working.
• Writing
  • Writing things for co-workers or customers.
• Active Listening
  • Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.
• Systems Analysis
  • Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it.
• Complex Problem Solving
  • Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.
• Persuasion
  • Talking people into changing their minds or their behavior.
• Judgment and Decision Making
  • Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one.
• Repairing
  • Repairing machines or systems using the right tools.
• Time Management
  • Managing your time and the time of other people.

Abilities

• Visualization
  • Imagining how something will look after it is moved around or changed.
• Visual Color Discrimination
  • Noticing the difference between colors, including shades and brightness.
• Perceptual Speed
  • Quickly comparing groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.
• Number Facility
  • Adding, subtracting, multiplying, or dividing.
• Explosive Strength
  • Jumping, sprinting, or throwing something.
• Auditory Attention
  • Paying attention to one sound while there are other distracting sounds.
• Spatial Orientation
  • Knowing where things are around you.
• Speed of Limb Movement
  • Quickly moving your arms and legs.
• Gross Body Equilibrium
  • Keeping your balance or staying upright.
• Trunk Strength
  • Using your lower back and stomach.
• Originality
  • Creating new and original ideas.
• Time Sharing
  • Doing two or more things at the same time.
• Rate Control
  • Changing when and how fast you move based on how something else is moving.
• Control Precision
  • Quickly changing the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat.
• Wrist-Finger Speed
  • Making fast, simple, repeated movements of your fingers, hands, and wrists.
• Information Ordering
  • Ordering or arranging things.
• Near Vision
  • Seeing details up close.
• Arm-Hand Steadiness
  • Keeping your arm or hand steady.
• Glare Sensitivity
  • Seeing something even if there is a glare or very bright light.
• Reaction Time
  • Quickly moving your hand, finger, or foot based on a sound, light, picture or other command.
• Written Comprehension
  • Reading and understanding what is written.
• Fluency of Ideas
  • Coming up with lots of ideas.
• Deductive Reasoning
  • Using rules to solve problems.
• Speech Recognition
  • Recognizing spoken words.
• Sound Localization
  • Noticing the direction that a sound came from.
• Problem Sensitivity
  • Noticing when problems happen.
• Speed of Closure
  • Quickly knowing what you are looking at.
• Depth Perception
  • Deciding which thing is closer or farther away from you, or deciding how far away it is from you.
• Speech Clarity
  • Speaking clearly.
• Category Flexibility
  • Grouping things in different ways.
• Mathematical Reasoning
  • Choosing the right type of math to solve a problem.
• Flexibility of Closure
  • Seeing hidden patterns.
• Static Strength
  • Lifting, pushing, pulling, or carrying.
• Selective Attention
  • Paying attention to something without being distracted.
• Hearing Sensitivity
  • Telling the difference between sounds.
• Multilimb Coordination
  • Using your arms and/or legs together while sitting, standing, or lying down.
• Night Vision
  • Seeing at night or under low light.
• Finger Dexterity
  • Putting together small parts with your fingers.
• Oral Comprehension
  • Listening and understanding what people say.
• Memorization
  • Remembering words, numbers, pictures, or steps.
• Manual Dexterity
  • Holding or moving items with your hands.
• Dynamic Flexibility
  • Quickly and repeatedly bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching out with your body, arms, and/or legs.
• Gross Body Coordination
  • Moving your arms, legs, and mid-section together while your whole body is moving.
• Oral Expression
  • Communicating by speaking.
• Extent Flexibility
  • Bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching with your body, arms, and/or legs.
• Peripheral Vision
  • Seeing something to your side when your are looking ahead.
• Stamina
  • Exercising for a long time without getting out of breath.
• Response Orientation
  • Quickly deciding if you should move your hand, foot, or other body part.
• Dynamic Strength
  • Exercising for a long time without your muscles getting tired.
• Far Vision
  • Seeing details that are far away.
• Written Expression
  • Communicating by writing.
• Inductive Reasoning
  • Making general rules or coming up with answers from lots of detailed information.

Knowledge

• Production and Processing
  • Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
• Foreign Language
  • Knowledge of the structure and content of a foreign (non-English) language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition and grammar, and pronunciation.
• Geography
  • Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.
• Engineering and Technology
  • Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
• Biology
  • Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
• Fine Arts
  • Knowledge of the theory and techniques required to compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.
• History and Archeology
  • Knowledge of historical events and their causes, indicators, and effects on civilizations and cultures.
• Customer and Personal Service
  • Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
• Sociology and Anthropology
  • Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures, and their history and origins.
• English Language
  • Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
• Building and Construction
  • Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.
• Food Production
  • Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.
• Law and Government
  • Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
• Administration and Management
  • Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
• Therapy and Counseling
  • Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.
• Transportation
  • Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
• Public Safety and Security
  • Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
• Sales and Marketing
  • Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
• Physics
  • Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub-atomic structures and processes.
• Medicine and Dentistry
  • Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
• Chemistry
  • Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.
• Personnel and Human Resources
  • Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.
• Economics and Accounting
  • Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking, and the analysis and reporting of financial data.
• Mechanical
  • Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
• Computers and Electronics
  • Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
• Philosophy and Theology
  • Knowledge of different philosophical systems and religions. This includes their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and their impact on human culture.
• Design
  • Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
• Communications and Media
  • Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.
• Psychology
  • Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
• Administrative
  • Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.
• Mathematics
  • Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
• Education and Training
  • Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
• Telecommunications
  • Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.

Education

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Work Experience

Less than 5 years work experience

Training

1 to 12 months on-the-job training

Education and Training Opportunities

×

Education and Training Opportunities

• Bates Technical College
  1101 S Yakima Ave, Tacoma WA 98405
  School Type

  Public, 2-year

  Admissions
  School Size

  1,000 - 4,999

  Financial Aid 253-680-7000
  Other Degrees Offered

  Undergraduate degree or certificate offering,No graduate offering
  Website

  https://www.batestech.edu/
  Program Name
  Fire Science/Fire-fighting
  Length
  2 years
  Award Level
  Associate's degree, Certificates of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 year, Award of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years
  Save

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• Everett Community College
  2000 Tower Street, Everett WA 98201
  School Type

  Public, 4-year or above

  Admissions
  School Size

  5,000 - 9,999

  Financial Aid 425-388-9100
  Other Degrees Offered

  Undergraduate degree or certificate offering,No graduate offering
  Website

  http://www.everettcc.edu/
  Program Name
  Fire Science/Fire-fighting
  Length
  At least one but less than two years
  Award Level
  Award of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years, Associate's degree
  Save

  ---

• Green River College
  12401 SE 320th St, Auburn WA 98092-3622
  School Type

  Public, 4-year or above

  Admissions
  School Size

  5,000 - 9,999

  Financial Aid 253-833-9111
  Other Degrees Offered

  Undergraduate degree or certificate offering,No graduate offering
  Website

  https://www.greenriver.edu/
  Program Name
  Wildland/Forest Firefighting and Investigation
  Length
  2 years
  Award Level
  Associate's degree
  Save

  ---

• Lower Columbia College
  1600 Maple Street, Longview WA 98632
  School Type

  Public, 4-year or above

  Admissions
  School Size

  1,000 - 4,999

  Financial Aid 360-442-2311
  Other Degrees Offered

  Undergraduate degree or certificate offering,No graduate offering
  Website

  https://lowercolumbia.edu/
  Program Name
  Fire Science/Fire-fighting
  Length
  2 years
  Award Level
  Associate's degree, Award of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years
  Save

  ---

• North Seattle College
  9600 College Way North, Seattle WA 98103-3599
  School Type

  Public, 4-year or above

  Admissions
  School Size

  5,000 - 9,999

  Financial Aid 206-934-3600
  Other Degrees Offered

  Undergraduate degree or certificate offering,No graduate offering
  Website

  https://northseattle.edu/
  Program Name
  Fire Science/Fire-fighting
  Length
  2 years
  Award Level
  Associate's degree
  Save

  ---

• Skagit Valley College
  2405 E. College Way, Mount Vernon WA 98273
  School Type

  Public, 4-year or above

  Admissions
  School Size

  1,000 - 4,999

  Financial Aid 360-416-7600
  Other Degrees Offered

  Undergraduate degree or certificate offering,No graduate offering
  Website

  https://www.skagit.edu/
  Program Name
  Fire Science/Fire-fighting
  Length
  2 years
  Award Level
  Associate's degree
  Save
  Program Name
  Environmental/Natural Resources Law Enforcement and Protective Services
  Length
  2 years
  Award Level
  Associate's degree, Certificates of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 year
  Save

  ---

• South Puget Sound Community College
  2011 Mottman Rd SW, Olympia WA 98512-6292
  School Type

  Public, 2-year

  Admissions
  School Size

  1,000 - 4,999

  Financial Aid 360-596-5200
  Other Degrees Offered

  Undergraduate degree or certificate offering,No graduate offering
  Website

  https://spscc.edu/
  Program Name
  Fire Science/Fire-fighting
  Length
  2 years
  Award Level
  Associate's degree
  Save

  ---

• Spokane Community College
  1810 North Greene Street, Spokane WA 99217-5399
  School Type

  Public, 4-year or above

  Admissions
  School Size

  5,000 - 9,999

  Financial Aid 509-533-8400
  Other Degrees Offered

  Undergraduate degree or certificate offering,No graduate offering
  Website

  https://scc.spokane.edu/
  Program Name
  Fire Science/Fire-fighting
  Length
  2 years
  Award Level
  Associate's degree
  Save

  ---

• Walla Walla Community College
  500 Tausick Way, Walla Walla WA 99362-9267
  School Type

  Public, 4-year or above

  Admissions
  School Size

  1,000 - 4,999

  Financial Aid 509-522-2500
  Other Degrees Offered

  Undergraduate degree or certificate offering,No graduate offering
  Website

  https://www.wwcc.edu/
  Program Name
  Fire Science/Fire-fighting
  Length
  2 years
  Award Level
  Associate's degree, Award of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years
  Save

  ---

• Wenatchee Valley College
  1300 Fifth St, Wenatchee WA 98801-1799
  School Type

  Public, 4-year or above

  Admissions
  School Size

  1,000 - 4,999

  Financial Aid 509-682-6800
  Other Degrees Offered

  Undergraduate degree or certificate offering,No graduate offering
  Website

  https://www.wvc.edu/
  Program Name
  Fire Science/Fire-fighting
  Length
  2 years
  Award Level
  Associate's degree
  Save

  ---

Close

Pay

Washington Annual Salary

51370/yr

Washington Hourly Wage

24.7/hr

Washington Employment Trends

Currently Employed

2,800

Yearly Projected Openings

200

Personality

Realistic: People interested in this work like activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They do well at jobs that need:

• Dependability
• Stress Tolerance
• Leadership
• Integrity
• Self Control
• Independence

Tools

• Acoustic ear muffs or defenders
• All terrain vehicles tracked or wheeled
• Anemometers
• Axes
• Binoculars
• Brush cutter
• Busses
• Claw hammer
• Direction finding compasses
• Fire extinguishers
• Fire pump sets
• Garden chainsaw
• Global positioning system GPS receiver
• Hard hats
• Hygrometers
• Lawnmowers
• Machetes
• Minivans or vans
• Mobile medical services first aid kits
• Notebook computers
• Radio frequency transmitters or receivers
• Remote reading thermometers
• Safety glasses
• Signal mirror
• Tablet computers
• Telescopes
• Two way radios
• Weather stations
• Wind vane

Technology

• Application server software
• Cloud-based data access and sharing software
• Cloud-based management software
• Configuration management software
• Customer relationship management CRM software
• Data base management system software
• Data base user interface and query software
• Development environment software
• Electronic mail software
• Enterprise resource planning ERP software
• Expert system software
• File versioning software
• Map creation software
• Metadata management software
• Object or component oriented development software
• Office suite software
• Operating system software
• Presentation software
• Spreadsheet software
• Web page creation and editing software
• Web platform development software
• Word processing software