Fuels Crew Member, Wildland Fire Management Technician (WFMT)

Fuels Crew Member, Wildland Fire Management Technician (WFMT) Recruitment #2026-9-P459/P460/P461/P462/P463/P464/P465/P466/P467/P468/P469/P470/P471/P472 Full-time, Project, Represented position (WPEA) Anticipated Project is October 2026 - March 2029 Location: Northeast Region - Deer Park, WA Work Hour flexibility may be available and considered Salary: $3,565.00 - $4,746.00 Monthly Review of applications is ongoing. We reserve the right to make a hiring decision or close this recruitment at any time after 10/05/2026. It is in your best interest to submit materials as soon as possible.

The Northeast Region of the Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is actively seeking 14 Fuels Crew Members (Wildland Fire Management Technicians) for the Arcadia District. This position will be a crew member on the newly created River City Fuels Crew during the non-fire season months of the year and a Wildland Firefighter on a Type 5 Brush Engine during the fire season months of the year. The Arcadia District is based out of Deer Park, WA and consists of diverse fuel types that range from agriculture/shrub, steppe/dry ponderosa pine to hemlock/subalpine fir forests. The Arcadia District is responsible for forest health, wildfire suppression, prevention education, and regulation on all or parts of four counties (Spokane, Pend Oreille, Stevens and Lincoln), including one hundred thousand acres of state trust land. The Arcadia District conducts suppression actions on approximately 300 fire starts annually, processes approximately 400 burn permit requests, and provides training courses to our local cooperators. A large part of the Arcadia District is located in the Wildland Urban Interface of the greater Spokane area, where the primary focus on hazardous fuels reduction takes place and where the heaviest loading of initial attack wildfire incidents. Interagency cooperation occurs on the majority of fuels project sites, wildland fires, and most training courses. Interagency cooperation includes working with local fire districts, state and federal partners, and is a key function of the position.

Duties Responsibilities: The Fuels Crew members will be expected to excel at two separate jobs over the course of the project duration. One of these jobs will be working under the direction of a Forest Health Engine Captain as a Fuels Crew Member on a 22 person fuels reduction crew, completing hazardous fuels reduction on priority project sites around the Arcadia District. The fuels reduction crew will be implementing wildland hazardous fuels mitigation projects. These critical services protect public resources, natural resources, and public safety. The fuels reduction projects will help the agency implement Goal 1 of the 20-Year Forest Health Strategic Plan, Eastern Washington, by directly providing scientifically sound, landscape-scale cross-boundary management and restoration treatments in priority watersheds to increase forest and watershed resilience. The treatment projects include non-commercial tree thinning using chain saws, tree pruning and slash abatement. Slash abatement will be performed using prescribed fire, chipping or windrowing for mechanical mastication. During the fire season, the Fuels Crew member will be operating as a Wildland Firefighter on a Type 5 brush Engine in the Arcadia District, responsible for conducting wildfire initial attack in a safe and efficient manner. This will include operating in NWCG Wildland Fire positions such as Incident Commander Type 5, Firefighter 1, and more depending on the scale of the incident. When not on wildfire incidents, these individuals will be training, studying, checking previous incidents, or any other duties as assigned. The Engine will be expected to be competent and professional while on and off the fire line. The Arcadia District is a fast-paced and complex work environment that places an emphasis on building a culture that requires an individual who will work within the team goals and dynamics to be successful. The individuals selected for these positions would be employed year-round, completing fuels reduction work in the winters and engaged in fire suppression in the summers.

Application Requirements: Failure to provide the listed documents may result in disqualification. If you have questions or difficulty attaching these documents, please contact DNRrecruiting@dnr.wa.gov. Online Application: Apply at www.careers.wa.gov (Click on the APPLY button above). You must complete the entire online application to be considered for the position. Cover Letter: Your cover letter should be tailored to this job posting. Be sure to highlight your qualifications for this role, directly address the requirements of the position, and explain why you're the best candidate for the job. Resume: Your resume should consist of your work history, education, volunteer work, life skills, experience, and any other relevant information associated with the position. References: References are optional at the time your application is submitted. Finalists will be asked to provide a list of at least three (3) professional references, to include a current or most recent supervisor, along with telephone numbers.

Requirements: High school diploma or GED equivalent or ability to obtain GED within 12 months of hire, NWCG Red Card qualification level Firefighter 2, Building/maintaining Cooperative Relationships, Commitment to fostering and supporting diversity/equity/inclusion/environmental justice, Field position capable of traversing uneven and mountainous terrain, Must annually pass work capacity test at arduous level

Salary: $42,780.00 - $56,952.00 Annually

Application Deadline: 2026-10-12