Fire Hire
Are you looking for job that is anything but ordinary? The Southwestern Region employs permanent and temporary seasonal firefighters and support personnel for ground and air-based wildland fire suppression and fuels management. This includes dispatchers and warehouse crews who assist frontliners with vital logistical and strategic services.
Help protect 11 national forests and three national grasslands in Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, and Oklahoma. Please review information on this page and learn how you can prepare for upcoming hiring events.
Connect with a RecruiterView Career MapView Upcoming Hiring Dates
Want wildland firefighters at your job fair or other recruitment event? Fill out our request form.
Hiring Permanent Fire Positions Now!
Applications for permanent fire hire phase 4 will be accepted May 19 - June 5 on USAJobs. Open positions and links to apply are listed below.
Featured Fire Hire Timeline: Permanent Phase 4
Recorded webinars for jobseekers include Tips for Job Seekers, Hiring Eligibility and Qualifications, How to Write a Federal Resume, and Navigating USAJOBS.gov. Also review the resources at the bottom of this page.
This is a good time to connect with a Fire, Fuels and Aviation Management recruiter to learn more.
Open positions are now listed below. Review your options, and reach out to a hiring manager if you have questions.
- Review the tips for applying below.
- Applications must be submitted through USAJOBS.gov.
- Forest representatives will contact candidates, conduct interviews and make recommendations for hiring. We highly encourage you to be available via phone and email during this time.
- Usually completed within two weeks of the beginning date.
- Forest representatives will contact candidates, conduct interviews and make recommendations for hiring.
- We highly encourage you to be available via phone and email during this time.
- If you were not selected, check your USAJobs account for status updates.
If you are selected, you'll start your new position no later than September 20, 2026.
Job Openings for Permanent Hire Phase 4
Apply now through June 5th. Open positions and links to apply on USA Jobs are listed below.
You can connect with a fire hire recruiter or the listed hiring manager if you would like more information.
| Job Title Announcement Number | Pay Plan, Series & Grade | Forest Duty Location | Hiring Manager |
|---|---|---|---|
| Helitack Manager 26-FIRE-P4VA-HLTAKMGR-9DH | GW-456-09 | Springerville, AZ Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests | Robert Wilson robert.j.wilson@usda.gov |
| Assistant Center Manager (Dispatch) 26-FIRE-P4VA-IAADCM-89DH | GW-462-08/09 | Springerville, AZ Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests | Jordan Sprung jordan.sprung@usda.gov |
| Assistant Helitack Manager 26-FIRE-P4VA-HLTAKMGR-78DH | GW-456-07/08 | Springerville, AZ Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests | Robert Wilson robert.j.wilson@usda.gov |
| IADP 26-FIRE-P4VA-IADISP-4567DH | GW-462-04/05/06/07 | Albuquerque, NM Cibola National Forest | Melissa Olsen melissa.olsen@usda.gov |
| District/Zone Fire Management Officer 26-FIRE-P4VA-DZFMOM-911DH | GW-301-09/11 | Mimbres, NM Gila National Forest | Brian Stultz brian.stultz@usda.gov |
| Forest Assistant Fire Management Officer (Fuels) 26-FIRE-P4VA-FAFMOH-1112DH | GW-456-11/12 | Alamogordo, NM Lincoln National Forest | David Sosa david.b.sosa@usda.gov |
| Assistant Center Manager (Dispatch) 26-FIRE-P4VA-IAADCM-89DH | GW-462-08/09 | Alamogordo, NM Lincoln National Forest | David Sosa david.b.sosa@usda.gov |
| District/Zone AFMO High Complexity 26-FIRE-P4VA-DZAFMOH-89DH | GW-456-08/09 | Jemez Springs, NM Santa Fe National Forest | Brandon Glenn brandon.glenn@usda.gov |
| Fuels Specialist 26-FIRE-P4VA-DFUEL-89DH | GW-462-08/09 | Jemez Springs or Cuba, NM Santa Fe National Forest | Brandon Glenn brandon.glenn@usda.gov |
| District/Zone Fire Management Officer 26-FIRE-P4VA-DZFMOH-911DH | GW-301-09/11 | Pecos, NM Santa Fe National Forest | Sara Sena sara.sena@usda.gov |
| Forestry Technician (ATGS) 26-FIRE-P4VA-ATGS-89DH | GS-462-08/09 | Albuquerque, NM Southwestern Regional Office | Ronald Estes ronald.estes@usda.gov |
All Fire Hire Phases
The tables below lists the dates for this year's temporary seasonal and permanent fire hire phases. There are typically four temporary seasonal and four permanent fire hire phases per year.
All dates are tentative.
| Phase | Application Period | Recommendations & Selections | Earliest Start Date |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | July 1 - 14, 2026 | Aug. 20 - Sept. 17, 2026 | Oct. 19, 2026 |
2 | Aug. 1 - 14, 2026 | Sept. 21 - Oct. 20, 2026 | Jan. 11, 2027 |
3 | Oct. 29 - Nov. 12, 2026 | Dec. 16, 2026 - Jan. 27, 2027 | March 8, 2027 |
4 | Dec. 31, 2026 - Jan. 13, 2027 | Feb. 24 - April 7, 2027 | June 28, 2027 |
Phase | Application Period | Recommendations & Selections | Start Date |
|---|---|---|---|
FY26 4 | May 19 - May 28, 2026 | June 18 - July 9, 2026 | Sept. 20, 2026 |
FY27 1 | Aug. 24 - Sept. 22, 2026 | Nov. 2 - Dec. 16, 2026 | March 7, 2027 |
FY27 2 | Jan. 11 - Jan. 21, 2027 | Feb. 12 - March 4, 2027 | May 16, 2027 |
FY27 3 | March 8 - 18, 2027 | April 9 - 29, 2027 | July 11, 2027 |
FY27 4 | May 17 - May 27, 2027 | June 17 - July 6, 2027 | Sept. 19, 2027 |
Connect With Us
At any time, you can connect with a Fire, Fuels and Aviation Management recruiter to learn more about upcoming opportunities.
If you need more information about a job currently being advertised, please email the recruiter associated with the advertisement or contact an office.
When you call a Forest Service office, let the person you speak with know you are interested in fire jobs and ask if you can speak with the Fire Management Officer. Be prepared to answer questions as well. Remember, this is an opportunity to make a connection.
Some questions you may want to ask:
- Are there any current vacancies?
- In a typical season, how many vacancies does the location typically have?
- If you don’t have housing in the commutable area, ask if housing is available? If it is not, what other housing options are available in the area?
- What does a typical day look like on district when not suppressing fire?
- When does the district typically start their temporary employees?
- How long does the season last?
- What can I do to prepare myself to be ready for the season?
- As I complete the application process, if I have questions along the way, would it be okay to contact you directly with questions?
Hosting a Recruitment Event?
You can request Forest Service fire recruiters to attend job fairs or other outreach and recruitment events. Just fill out our request form to start the process.
More Resources
- Start your profile on USAJOBS.gov.
- Check the dates.
- Vacancy announcements have specific opening and closing dates.
- Pay attention to details.
- Review the vacancy announcement carefully.
- We encourage you to consider a wide range of locations. More locations equal more opportunities, and the higher the probability of getting a job. Along with that, in general, the more remote a location is, the more likely the location will have opportunities.
- Review application tips before you apply.
- Questions? Email Tobe Haught for more information or call (505) 842-3206.
- Review the vacancy announcement carefully.
Use the jobseeker database to be notified of Forest Service jobs and hiring events.
To get a head start, the Wildland Fire Learning Portal & FEMA Training Home has all the classes you will need to complete, free of charge. It takes a few days to access the Wildland Fire Learning Portal once you register. When the online work is complete, you will also need to attend a field day and pass the Work Capacity Test. Both the field day and work capacity test will take place once you are hired.
- Take the required basic fire courses at the National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) website.
- L180, S110, S130, S190