The Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is actively recruiting for year-round fire positions to expand wildfire response capacity throughout the state.

DNR is hiring for a diverse array of firefighting positions, including hand crew and heavy equipment operators.

In the offseason, these positions will perform forest health work, advancing the goals laid out in DNR’s 20-Year Forest Health Strategic Plan.

“When fires break out across our landscapes, it is imperative that we have the firefighters needed to protect our neighbors, communities and forests,” said Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz, who heads DNR. “That is why I have made expanding our wildfire fighting force a top priority. In the offseason, these positions will do the vital work of restoring forest health — returning natural wildfire resistance — which is essential to reducing fire risk in the future.

“We are looking for motivated and skilled individuals who have a desire to serve and want to make a difference.”

Historically, DNR hires most firefighting positions for seasonal work in the spring and summer months, which typically have the most wildfire activity. As a changing climate brings hotter and drier conditions year-round, DNR is expanding fire personnel to respond earlier and later in the season.

Many of these positions are funded by House Bill 1168. This legislation, championed by Commissioner Franz and passed unanimously last year by the Washington state Legislature, made transformational investments in wildfire response, forest health, and community resilience. This included the addition of more full-time firefighters.

Positions for hire:

• 2 Fire Operations Specialists

• 8 Assistant Fire Management Officers

• 5 Hand Crew Superintendents

• 4 Hand Crew Foreman

• 25 Hand Crew Squad Bosses

• 12 Initial Attack Heavy Equipment Operators

• 5 Prevention Technicians

Interested applicants can visit DNR’s website www.dnr.wa.gov/jobs to search firefighting job descriptions.

DNR is responsible for preventing and fighting wildfires on 13 million acres of private, state and tribal-owned forestlands. DNR is the state’s largest fire department and participates in Washington’s coordinated interagency approach to firefighting.