Job Alert - Be a Federal Firefighter in 2009

It may seem a little odd to be thinking about wildfires when there's snow on the ground, but... If wildland firefighting is your thing, and you happen to need a job for next summer, there are several opportunities with federal agencies in Nevada. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and the U.S. Forest Service are accepting applications for firefighter, dispatching, and aviation positions for the 2009 fire season (about June 1 through the middle of September). These jobs will be at locations around Nevada, as well as nationwide. The deadline to submit applications is January 20, 2009.

Many of the Nevada BLM jobs are with the Elko District Office. Forest Service jobs are in the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest. You must apply through the federal USAJOBS website for fire positions with either of these agencies. In addition to a physical and drug test, you'll have to pass the "pack test" to land a firefighting job. To pass, you must be able to walk three miles over flat terrain carrying a 45 pound pack, in 45 minutes or less.

Applications for on-call firefighting and camp crew jobs with the Eastern Nevada Agency (ENA) of the Bureau of Indian Affairs are available at the Elko BLM Office, 3900 E. Idaho St. in Elko, and on the Elko BLM Fire and Aviation website. The deadline is April 24, 2009. For more information about ENA jobs, call (775) 753-0301.

The Employment Opportunities with BLM Nevada Fire and Aviation website has more information about firefighting jobs.

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