Wildland Firefighting Pros and Cons, is it the Right Fit for You?! 

I went straight into wildland firefighting after my last deployment to Afghanistan. It made the transition back into civilian world so much easier because I felt the same camaraderie and sense of purpose with my crew as I did with the Marines in my company.

Wow! Right on point! Pros: I get paid to have a vacation (I was in Glacier National Park for 2 weeks. No tourists!), brotherhood, achieving another goal from my adrenaline junkie mindset, boost in self esteem, mental clarity, visiting tiny towns, talking to locals, expanding my knowledge of the world. Cons: Coming back home to the ghetto. No benefits. Readjusting. All in all, I've found that people either love it or are constantly looking for a cell signal. Lol.

I had a great time fighting wildland fire. I started on a hotshot crew a week after HS Graduation and and worked the next 5 fire seasons on hotshot crews. After I got my BS in Forestry, I was Foreman on a Helitack crew untilI I was drafted. After my two Army years, I worked for the National Interagency Fire Center as National Situation Coordinator for 3 year followed as state level Fire Management Officer for the Territory of Guam. I think my best time was when I was on the 'shots, the excitement when the alarm goes and we are responding code 3, the fire community, pushing myself to my absolute extreme, because of my personality being seen as a leader even though I didn't know it, and so much more. After 12 years of wildfire fighting, I responded to another calling, Catholic Priesthood. I graduated from a Catholic Seminary with a Masters of Theology and was ordained to priesthood for an independent denomiation. Eventually I was elected Presiding Bishop of the denomination. I had to resign when I became seriously ill.

I worked on wildfires for over 30 years. I have had many qualifications. As I aged I let my fireline positions expire and transferred into a fire team (Washington Incident Management Team 1). I worked in Logistics Section. Plus as an Information Officer and Interagency Resource Representative. I was 68 on my last wildfire and am 71 now.

I love seeing a female wildlands firefighter! I am always hearing people say "you don't want to break the men's group" "being a female you will change the whole dynamic" "you will hold the team back", all of these things made me afraid to look more into it. You have helped me so much with my fear and now I am less afraid to apply and talk to people who do wildlands firefighting. Thank you for these videos!

I totally agree with suffering with your crew makes for the best memories hands down. a 36-hour shift and 75% of our crew getting heat exhaustion was mad wild last summer! but such an amazing memory. Grateful the fire dinner was so delicious. also got to pet a beagle from a dozer operator and refreshed our squad.

Great job! I’m certain you’re honestly and enthusiasm will be the catalyst for many seeking employment in the sector! Stay Safe!

Another con definitely would be after awhile you start developing long-term aches and injuries. But the pros list is alot bigger! For anyone wanting to get into this linebof work I'd suggest them go hangout with a crew in the off season doesn't matter if it's with a shot crew or engine crews go to the station hangout with them PT with them ask questions.

If they did 2 of these 3 I’d join in a heartbeat. -increased pay (significantly) -better work life balance -pension

Appreciate your enthusiasm! Terrified of failing my pack test this week. I was 15 seconds short last week. I gotta get it because I'm stoked to meet this new challenge head on. 👩🏽‍🚒🔥♥️

Thank you to all the wildland firefighters AND wildland firefighter support staff for what you do your work dose not and will not go unnoticed!!!

Would being from and living in Pennsylvania have to require me to move in order to work for a crew seasonally? Or would they provide housing?

Ronni I'm a big fan of you. I love how you explain things in the wildland fire world. Keep up the good work and videos

Wildland firefighting is a calling no matter what the pros or cons are . If you don't want it more than anything else, it's not your calling.

Wow, your genuine excitement in listing the pros here is so contagious. Thanks for these videos, Ronni!

Thank you this was very helpful! I got my red card with a private wff company in Oregon last year and am waiting to go out this season. I look forward to the hard work 🙏🏼

Wildland firefighter is great i did inmate firefighter I would had love to have done it for a living best experience along hot shots and cal fire great people

I really loved my experience in wild land firefighting from 2007-2012 in CA and ID. The reason I stopped is because I had to finish my degree and they stopped with the STEP program where I could be a student and do it at the same time, not making it easy to be able to go to school and do both. I think the biggest pro is the team related efforts and boy do you get to know each other well! If you thrive on thinking critically and leading a team, you'll advance in the career. Con would be I missed A LOT of weddings, events, etc., because I had to head on a fire for a two week period of time. You can skip an assignment, but it definitely puts a kink in how the crew flows, because it's often times after to find fill ins. My social life took a tole and it's hard to balance a family & relationships when you're gone so long. However, I am A HUGE people person, so that's just me.

I really appreciate this vid.. and as a female haha. I start a WFM in literally a day. I worked saw in a conservation corp for 6 months so I feel pretty prepared (lack of comm, etc) but also anxious and nervous as hell since fire is so much more physically demanding.. thank u for the insight 🥺

it is a bad as job paid for my college, like you, straight out of high school. 1yr type 2 IA then 2yr type 1 IA then helirap 5 years while MSAR & structural then volunteen MSAR for 5 then body breaks down from injuries... Doc said no more! Saddest fucking day in my life. now i sit at a desk actually using my degree and just want those day back. it was never to be a hero. never! i feel like i was raised by the mountains and as a son i should protect them. it was hotshots type 1 IA that yea i love this drug. started rock climbing and mountain biking hard. broke bones which in the end brought the doc to say no more

Love the energy, curious as to how to get yourself started in this career path, fire school? Any academy recommendations? I just got out of high school and I need help😂

Unless a person has an entitlement mentality (too many ppl right?) the only con that I can see is the occasional long work hours for days on end which would be too much for many people even doing their best.

Cons that i have seen is the attitude between different organizations

Alaska that seems like that last place you would go to fight a fire

I have applied for programs seeking people for the summer which seems to be the “fire season.” Is this the case with you as well? If so, what do you do for money when your not firefighting?

what kind of training did you do to get to fit for the season? and what were the requirements you needed to meet to finally be able to start?

I worked in a season in wildland firefighting last year, I really loved it but didn't think I wanted to do it long term. Now, after 3 months working in an office that I'm now quiting, I'm looking to get back in it fultime next season, good thing I refreshed my fire quals.

Thanks for making this! I've had my fire certs since 2018 but have only done small vollie work but soon I'll be starting with my states type 2 ia crew. I can't wait, I know it's gonna be a big challenge for me but I think it's something that I need to push myself through and really excited.

Can you collect unemployment for the 6 months you're off?.,🤔

I love the video! I recently found interest in this career and wonder what steps I can take to lead me in the right direction, especially as a freshman in college already!

I used to be a social worker for ten years because I wanted to help people. I hated it. Fell into fire on accident by winding up working the front desk at my local Forest Service ranger station during my transition period. They looked like they were having fun and thought I would try it. I was just mad I didn’t discover it earlier in life. It was truly the first time I was excited to get up and go to work. I loved the camaraderie, getting paid to be in the best shape of my life, and the adrenaline. I have a family so I figured I’d add my two cents from that perspective. The toll is real. You can’t make plans during fire season. If you do, a fire will pop that day, guaranteed. You will miss birthdays, and concerts and dance recitals. It requires buy-in from your significant other and frankly, your kids since you will be gone a lot. That being said, certain specialities are more conducive to family life than others. I worked on an engine crew which is primarily an initial attack resource, so you’re not gone as much as you would be with a national resource like a shot crew. It’s also easier to swap out with someone who might normally be on days off if your engine was going on a roll if you needed to stay local as opposed to a hand crew which travels as a single unit. If your overhead is supportive you can make it work. You won’t make as much money, but it was never about that anyway.

I just applied for a woodland job in Washington. Your videos got me sooo pumped!!

The con is that you can put in over 100 applications and they can never "find" them. I guess you have to be male or know somebody.

Keeping Boots has been my issue over my 5 seasons.

I'm from the Netherlands and I'm thinking of joining a handcrew(or if possible a hotshot crew, but i think that is less likely to happen). Do you know the possibilities of joining a crew for just one season? (if i like it offcourse for more seasons) I'm still a student here and I was wondering is this can be an option for me during the summer.

Embracing the suck is our engines motto

I’m in my 30s and I’m looking to become a wild land firefighter for all the pro reasons and those cons are not cons to me lol. I have been in sales for 7 years and I hated every day of it. I had to leave and just got done taking care of my family for 2 years and sadly I have no attachments anymore. Any classes you would recommend taking before applying? Or should I just apply? Thank a lot for the video

Im enrolled for the online classes to take my S-130 / S-190 and the L-80. I’m super nervous and trying to take as much notes as possible but don’t know if they’ll even apply to the actual exam. Any tips on where to zero in or what I can do to ensure I pass? I really want to become a wild land firefighter I’m just afraid I might fail the exam and don’t know if I’m studying right or hard enough or if there’s other methods of study I can use besides jotting down all these notes. It’s an open book test yet I can’t seem to find all the answers. Any suggestions?

Don't join a hand crew. No shame in it, but if you can Avoid being on hand crew don't do it. Not enough action at all.

ty ty ty so much. im joining wildland firefighter team as a handcrew this year 2021. and you just explained exactly how im feeling, why im trying to do this job. you even made me cry, i could picture myself being in there and feeling how you were feeling. after you and your crew completed the job , then look the forest and houses behind you that you & the crew just saved .. how greater rewards can u you get

I'm being sent to Tennessee for forestry conservation and fire fighting, originally from Texas and I am veterinary student

Hey Ronni I’m from Salt Lake City and I’ve been considering being a woodland firefighter for such a long time would you maybe like to talk over the phone about it I’m having heavy doubts and people are telling me I’m crazy if that’s alright with you I’d love the help and support

For me the biggest con was isolation which doesn't depend on the size of your crew. I started out working 120hr work weeks with days off often cancelled. I left a large organization for a small rural fire dept. after 14 years. Still going strong after 50 years. I work in logistics now.

Hey, my name is Joseph I’m in a Fire/EMS academy at my high school and I wasn’t sure what path I want to take I just knew I wanted to be a firefighter. I thought it was crazy there’s smoke jumpers and Wildland firefighting. I love nature I do thinks it’s cool and I don’t sacrificing my life for someone else. I’ve always had that mentality at a young age.

Hey Ronni! Enjoy your information and the fact that your one of the only individuals out here putting information on here about wildland firefighting. I have a request though, whether its within your knowledge/experience base idk, but even if you could research with the people you know it would be greatly appreciated. Anyways, I just got done watch your wildland firefighting specialties video and especially incorrelation to what we see on USAJOBS with all the conservation agencies, I would like to know about the career pipeline/hierarchy of the wildland fire field? Like fire administration officers, fire planners, supervisors regional chiefs, career progression stuff like that! I have pulled up a couple pdf's for the federal and stateside agencies about this topic but would love to hear from where you stand being affiliated with it. So just a video on the jobs that you can attain(especially across the federal agencies) if you stay in it long enough and get the experience/education to move up the chain. I would love to know, so I can do this as a lifelong career field and provide for my family appropriately!

"Embracing the Suck" is what Ronni is covering in much of her outstanding video. Embracing the suck is about 99% mental and 1% physical IMO. I would define embracing the suck as mentally overcoming and outlasting a challenging circumstance(s). The typical transient sucks are a few minutes to several weeks long. Like the obligatory too hot, too cold, embers down your neck, blisters, extreme fatigue, camp crud, oozing Poising Oak Rash, etc. The list is endless. How one acquires the skill is a mystery to me. Beginning about 4:30 Ronni states she grew up "sheltered" in a small town in Idaho. That must be relatively speaking because in my experience, thank God, no child grows up sheltered in rural "fly over" America. Perhaps Ronni was born with the skill? The "Suck" can present itself in wicked ways. Example from a real world event... Your into your third week on a "major ragger" in the American West backcountry. You have been working like Calvary across Division boundaries for days. The Spike Camp Manager is outstanding and has even bumped Spike up as you have progressed with line construction and containment. Late one day you and all the ground resources working that Branch return to Spike for the night. A USFS contract pack train (mules) arrives into Spike with "hot" chow. Big problem, the Food Unit forgot to include paper plates. Now what?

Thank you for sharing this info about wild firefighters 🚒 I appreciate it very much ronni😎💪🏾🚒 I’m enjoying learning more about this job

Thanks so much! I start August 9th with the Veterans Fire Corps!

Soo true! Best job ever haha some moments can be a pain but looking back like damn we’re such bad asses we did that! Especially the experience of doing & learning different things daily. The best moments have been in those rough times, Forsure brother/sister hood relationships go a long way! Have made many great friends from different crews I’ve been on or have met on the line.

My plan is to do a Work&Travel in Canada and I would LOVE to work as a wildlandfirefighter. Do you think its realistic to get accepted? PS: I am a firefighter myself in my hometown thats why I have a small amount of experience in firefighting :D

These videos are great. I really appreciate you taking the time to make them! I have one question. Are there any grooming standards when I comes to tattoos and piercings? Tia

As a native american Indian n protectors of Mother earth. Fun n games do not belong on the line!!

What do people do after there done with wildland firefighting? Where can they go with there experience?

Do they care about people smoking Marijuana?

Yesss !!! I always tell people that you semi have to be a adrenaline junky and thrill seeker lol 😆 .. I just got emails from dnr from south and north region , looking towards this opportunity finally lol .. I've been on a engine crew and hand crew

So I have been in the army for 5 years and have 5 more years left. I'm about to finish my degree in firescience and am thinking of moving to AZ. To be a fire fighter and possibly a wildland fire fighter. I'm 30 and still keep in good shape. Any advice?

What are the reasons they don't take you on.? Bad legs feet or health.

This video is great! I agree with everything you said. This last summer was fucking wild to fight the forest fight but it was the dopest summer for me in my fire career! Also Peeing behind a bush is def in pro for me haha

So do you get paid for the 6 months off or how does that work?

Not sure if you've done a typical "What do Wildland Firefighters get paid per fire season" and break that down per hour etc./ and touch on entry level to the most experienced people and what they make but that would be interesting.

Is there any way, to join "volunteer"? I mean as a "normal" firefighter (in the US) and may some training in Wildland fire fighting? I would love to do that for a season (maybe more?) to gain some experience. The main reason why I couldn't"t do that as a job is that I am not a US Citizen. Every job description I find is only for US Citizen

Is being a wildland firefighter steady? Like I hear the word “seasons” so does that mean that it’s sporadic? Or is it like being a normal fire fighter, but just being in the woods? 😂😂

The major thing holding me back right now is I don't wanna put my life on the line to save communities in Commifornia or weird ass Oregon lmao. If we had more forest fires in Florida where I feel invested as a citizen I could see beyond the other downside of being underpaid

I have worked on wildfires for over 30 years. I started with Washington State DNR. First with a 10-man inmate crew as a crew boss

you sold me with the fist point LOL

I'm a senior in highschool from Idaho, I hope to start doing this this summer. How do I get started? How do I apply?

Love your attitude, you seem like such a nice person. I just applied as a tech/aid right now, wanted some more insight and this made me feel a whole lot better thank you.

I'm working on taking classes for this, but would being gluten free be an issue or deal breaker in this field?

Question, and it might be stupid, do you lose alot of weight during fire season?

Just found your videos as I have been doing research on Wildland Firefighting. I currently am a Firefighter/EMT but it’s just not fulfilling the firefighter side and I have always wanted to do something with wildlife also. So my question to you is I live in Ohio, I have a wife and we don’t want to relocate but I do want to be a wildland firefighter, are there departments that will hire out of staters? Or do they all require relocation?

How do you become a wildland firefighter in Canada?

how do you apply?

is there any way if i were to join a type 2 that i could bring a good camera to capture some moments on breaks and at night?

subscribed!

They don't pay enough

Cons: 14 days of a-holes to elbows, you never get to see smokey the bear, PT all day everyday or you will hate life, Watching the road queens chillen while you are getting ready to hike into Armageddon, rainbow meat sandwiches in a brown sack, dogs on saw love your neck, poison oak parties, you get to see all the salt you eat or drink on your shirt. Pros: save lots of bushes Wait a minute....i got those all switched around.

You got me excited!!!

My con was the strain on family and friends cause well 2020 was quite a first year. Also when your not on a fire you can only clean the station so many times so find something to keep you busy while waiting for that smoke check.

But the edits....driving me nuts. Can’t you do this in one take using a script?