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Management

The Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest uses a full range of wildland fire suppression and prescribed fire options to protect, enhance and restore resources and developments within and adjacent to the forest.

Fire Prevention

Find information about fire prevention at Northwest Fire Prevention Education. Homeowners who live in fire-prone areas can learn how to lessen risk from wildland fire from FIREWISE. 

Living with Fire (PDF document, 3.6 MB)


 Baker River Hotshots

The Baker River Interagency Hotshot Crew is a highly-trained Type 1 wildland fire suppression crew. Since its inception in 1976, these hard-working professionals have spent summers battling forest fires and, when needed, responding to federal emergencies around the U.S.  

Baker River Hotshots learn and practice critical fireline skills that rely upon communication, team-building and high-reliability concepts. This organization provides an exciting and fulfilling job for those fit enough for the challenge. The Baker River IHC has a proud history built on camaraderie, strong work ethic and mutual respect.

The Baker River Hotshots are hosted by the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest on the Mt. Baker Ranger District and stationed at Koma Kulshan Guard Station.

The crew is on call between late April and October, averaging more than 100 days per season on assignment a year. While not on fire assignments, the hotshot crew accomplishes a variety of project assignments such as prescribed burning, building and maintaining trails and performing building maintenance.

 

Initial Attack Crew

The Mt. Baker Snoqualmie Initial Attack Crew is a 20-person, Type 2 crew that spends the summer months fighting forest fires throughout the West. When the crew is not fighting fire, they spend time training and conducting projects such as hazard tree removal, thinning, and facility maintenance. The crew is based out of the Darrington Ranger District and lives in bunkhouse facilities in Darrington, Wash., located in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains approximately one and a half hours from Seattle.

Wildland Firefighting
Crew members use various hand tools, chainsaws, ignition devices, and numerous other pieces of equipment to suppress wildfires. It is common for the crew to work 15.5-hour shifts in hot, smoky, dirty, dusty working conditions. The work performed is extremely demanding but the scenery is worth it! Compatibility, camaraderie, understanding, and crew pride are an absolute necessity.

Crewmembers are available for incident dispatch 24 hours a day, seven days a week during the fire season, typically May through October. Assignments can last up to two weeks at a time, not including travel.

Join Our Team
The IA Crew seeks quality candidates each season to fill wildland firefighter crewmember positions. The fire season for MBS IA typically starts in early May and ends in late October. Crew members are hired as seasonal employees and work full-time at the U.S. government pay rates of GS-2, GS-3, GS-, and GS-5, based on experience and education. Crewmember positions are temporary-seasonal, so each crewmember is restricted to working no more than 1,039 hours, or around 6 months, each year. This represents base hours only and does not include overtime hours worked.

      Successful applicants meet these requirements:

  • A positive attitude
  • Have the ability to work within a team
  • Be at least 18 years of age and have proof of US Citizenship
  • Pass the pack test: Carry a 45-pound pack for three miles in under 45 minutes

Wildland Fire Engine Program

The Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest hosts 6 wildland fire engines.  Although the engines are primarily for initial attack response to local fires, crews respond to fires throughout the west.

During the height of the fire season, the engines are typically staffed 7 days a week and patrol the forest when not on fires. They also perform various project work such as brushing, clearing, building trails and roads, removing hazard trees, cleaning and preparing campgrounds and fire prevention work.

Throughout the fire season, they train in engine and pump operation, chainsaw operation and project work. Crewmembers sometimes fill in for two weeks with handcrews to gain experience and fill temporary vacancies. Engine crews physically train daily.

Each Type 3, or heavy engine, is staffed with an engine captain, assistant fire engine operator, senior firefighter and 2-5 crewmembers. The Type 6, or light engines, are staffed with an engine captain and a senior firefighter. The engines are fully staffed June through October for wildfire and prescribed fire assignments. The North Zone engines are based at the Baker River Work Center, three miles west of Concrete, Wash., along Highway 20, and the South Zone engines are based at the Snoqualmie Ranger Station in North Bend, Wash., about 30 miles east of Seattle along I-90.  Bunkhouse facilities are available to temporary seasonal employees.

Become a Wildland Fire Engine Crewmember

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Last updated April 24th, 2025

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