Wildland Firefighter

Job Overview

The Commonwealth of Virginia is seeking a highly skilled Wildland Firefighter to join our team in the Capital District. As a Wildland Firefighter, you will be responsible for providing professional forestry assistance and advice to landowners in Hanover and Henrico Counties.

Key Responsibilities

• Assist landowners with forest management through technical assistance and forest management plans.
• Evaluate forestland and harvested sites to provide scientific forest management and regeneration guidance.
• Promote and assist with the development of riparian buffer projects.
• Assist with urban & community forestry projects and cost share programs.
• Connect private forest landowners to state and federal cost share programs that support forest and wildlife habitat management projects.
• Respond to and identify forest health issues, including invasive pests and plants, and provide management advice to protect & improve forest health.
• Promote conservation of the forest land base to landowners and local governments.
• Conservation education and outreach to groups and individuals.
• Coordination with local governments, state agencies, conservation groups, and citizen organizations.
• Prevention and suppression of wildfires, inspection of timber harvests, and enforcing silvicultural water quality, timber theft, and wildland fire laws.

Requirements

• Demonstrated knowledge of tree species identification, silvics of Virginia native tree species, forest soils, forest measurements/biometrics.
• Knowledge and/or training on establishing riparian buffers and planting trees.
• Experience or training in identifying forest health issues and implementing integrated pest management strategies, training or experience with pesticide use on forest land.
• Demonstrated ability to develop scientific forest management plans.
• Ability to use standard forester's tools including increment borer, diameter tape, prism, & clinometer to cruise stands of timber.
• Knowledge of or training related to forest harvesting systems and Virginia's Silvicultural Best Management Practices for Water Quality.

Working Conditions

Foresters spend much of their time working in the woods in all types of forested, rough, and muddy terrain in all weather conditions. Candidates must have the ability to negotiate different types of forested and rugged terrain on foot in all types of weather; ability to climb on and off equipment, ability to work in smokey environments; and have the ability to travel around the state and stay overnight on occasion.