Forest Service hiring Pacific Northwest firefighters for upcoming wildfire season

PORTLAND, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Pacific Northwest Region of the USDA Forest Service is hiring permanent wildland firefighters for the 2025 fire year across national forests and grasslands in Washington and Oregon.

KTVZ News was told the region is hiring for 145 positions. Here's the details on hiring regionally and nationwide this year, compared to past years.

Here's the full news release, issued Monday:

Positions include aviation officers, dispatchers, equipment operators, fire engine operators, fire management officers, fire planners, fire prevention specialists, forestry aids and technicians, handcrew members, helitack crew members, hotshot crew members, pilots, prescribed fire and fuels specialists, smokejumpers, and more. Pay plans include Wage Grade, Wage Leader, and General Schedule levels 3–13.

Job information, including duty locations, pay plans, pay levels and application details, is available online on the Forest Service Careers webpage. Job seekers can apply through USAJobs.gov until Thursday, April 24. 

Application and resume preparation tips and guidelines, including step-by-step instructions and on-demand webinars, are available on the How to Apply webpage.

Any U.S. citizen or national who is at least 18 years of age can apply. Hiring managers will use a Direct Hire Authority to hire applicants, meaning Veterans' Preference and traditional rating and ranking of applicants do not apply. 

Among other series, the new GS-0456 Wildland Fire Management series will be used, with pay based on the 2025 Wildland Firefighters (GW) Locality Pay Tables.

New hires will increase the agency’s capacity to prepare for catastrophic wildfire, implement fire prevention and active forest management strategies, and respond effectively to wildfire emergencies to safeguard lives, property, and natural resources.