Equal Opportunity Employer

The State of California is an equal opportunity employer to all, regardless of age, ancestry, color, disability (mental and physical), exercising the right to family care and medical leave, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religious creed, sex (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and related medical conditions), and sexual orientation.

It is an objective of the State of California to achieve a drug-free work place. Any applicant for state employment will be expected to behave in accordance with this objective because the use of illegal drugs is inconsistent with the law of the State, the rules governing Civil Service, and the special trust placed in public servants.

Position Details

Job Code #:

JC-495209

Position #(s):

542-000-1083-XXX

Working Title:

Fire Fighter I

Classification:

FIRE FIGHTER I

$4,403.00 - $5,566.00

New to State candidates will be hired into the minimum salary of the classification or minimum of alternate range when applicable.

# of Positions:

Multiple

Work Location:

United States

Telework:

In Office

Job Type:

Non-Tenured, Full Time

Facility:

Statewide

Department Information

The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) is California's fire department and resource management agency. The organization is comprised of nearly 12,000 permanent and seasonal employees. The mission of the Department is to serve and safeguard the people and protect the property and resources of California.

When you join CAL FIRE, you join a family of employees that function as a team. You will build trust and friendship with your co-workers, as together you respond to emergencies and challenging situations. CAL FIRE provides employees with a variety of career choices and opportunites. We hope that you will consider a rewarding and challenging career with CAL FIRE!

Job Description And Duties

Under close supervision, as a temporary employee, to do heavy physical work involved in fire fighting as a member of a fire crew; to assist in building, grounds, and equipment maintenance and repair; and to do other related work.

As a member of a fire crew, receives training in wildland, rural, and structural fire suppression methods and techniques; fights fire as a member of a fire crew using tools and equipment such as a shovel, axe, McLeod, Pulaski, and back pump; clears trails, cuts brush; assists in building, grounds, and equipment maintenance and repair; inspects, cleans and repairs fire hose and equipment, sharpens fire tools, paints equipment and buildings and performs semiskilled or laboring construction work; performs general station housekeeping and kitchen duties.

Hires may be made in the following counties: Alameda, Alpine, Amador, Butte, Calaveras, Colusa, Contra Costa, Del Norte, El Dorado, Fresno, Glenn, Humboldt, Imperial, Inyo, Kern, Kings, Lake, Lassen, Los Angeles, Madera, Marin, Mariposa, Mendocino, Merced, Modoc, Mono, Monterey, Napa, Nevada, Orange, Placer, Plumas, Riverside, Sacramento, San Benito, San Bernardino, San Diego, The City and County of San Francisco, San Joaquin, San Luis Obispo, San Mateo, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, Solano, Sonoma, Stanislaus, Sutter, Tehama, Trinity, Tulare, Tuolumne, Ventura, Yolo, Yuba.

Candidates may be selected by resume review.

Applications will be processed in rounds with the following cut-off date(s):

March 31, 2026

Special Requirements

The position(s) require(s) Medical Clearance prior to being hired.

Applicants must pass medical clearances under the Respiratory Protection Program.

SELECTION PROCESS

CAL FIRE will utilize the candidate pool to fill vacancies through October 31, 2026.

It is anticipated that job offers may be made beginning the week of January 5, 2026.

Returnee Policy

Returnee FFIs who want to return for employment from one season to the next are not required to file a FFI Application for Employment and will receive hiring preference over new applicants. A “returnee” is defined as any person who:

Held an appointment as a FFI during the prior 12-months; and,
Is returning to the same Unit; and,
Has worked for at least two continuous months (i.e., 60 continuous calendar days); and,
Has completed the Basic Fire Fighter training course; and,
Is physically able to perform the full range of duties expected of a FFI at the time of return.

An employee who did not work during the preceding 12 months because of a verifiable medical condition that precluded the performance of the full range of duties, shall have his or her returnee status extended for an additional 12 months. In such cases, the applicant must be able to meet all of the other criteria. The returnee policy does not guarantee employment since the number of returnees may exceed the number of positions available to be filled. Under these conditions, job offers are based on seniority.

Application Instructions

Dates printed on Mobile Bar Codes, such as the Quick Response (QR) Codes available at the USPS, are not considered Postmark dates for the purpose of determining timely filing of an application.

Final Filing Date: 3/31/2026

Who May Apply

This is a non-testing Classification, therefore, anyone meeting the Minimum Qualifications listed on the Classification Specification may apply for this position. Individuals in specific programs, such as the Welfare to Work Program, are encouraged to apply and will be given priority according to the applicable Laws and Rules. Please note on your application your current participation in these programs.

Applications will be screened and only the most qualified applicants will be selected to move forward in the selection process. Applicants must meet the Minimum Qualifications stated in the Classification Specification(s).

How To Apply

Complete Application Packages (including your Examination/Employment Application (STD 678) and applicable or required documents) must be submitted to apply for this Job Posting. Application Packages may be submitted electronically through your CalCareer Account at www.CalCareers.ca.gov. When submitting your application in hard copy, a completed copy of the Application Package listing must be included. If you choose to not apply electronically, a hard copy application package may be submitted through an alternative method listed below:

Address for Mailing Application Packages

You may submit your application and any applicable or required documents to:

Department of Forestry & Fire Protection

CAL FIRE Southern Region Hiring

Attn: CAL FIRE FFI Hiring

1234 East Shaw Avenue

Fresno , CA 93710

Address for Drop-Off Application Packages

You may drop off your application and any applicable or required documents at:

Department of Forestry & Fire Protection

CAL FIRE Southern Region Hiring

Attn: CAL FIRE FFI Hiring

1234 East Shaw Avenue

Fresno , CA 93710

08:00 AM - 05:00 PM

Required Application Package Documents

The following items are required to be submitted with your application. Applicants who do not submit the required items timely may not be considered for this job:

Current version of the State Examination/Employment Application STD Form 678 (when not applying electronically), or the Electronic State Employment Application through your Applicant Account at www.CalCareers.ca.gov. All Experience and Education relating to the Minimum Qualifications listed on the Classification Specification should be included to demonstrate how you meet the Minimum Qualifications for the position.
Resume is required and must be included.
Other - Authorization to Release Information Form (PO-299): https://www.fire.ca.gov/-/media/D817B8E27D8049C3BC35297686467FB9
Other - Work Location Form. This form may be found at: https://incidents.fire.ca.gov/media/42chxu24/2026-wlf.pdf
Other - California State Fire Training (SFT) Fire Fighter l Certificate
Other - CAL FIRE Basic Firefighter Certificate
Other - California State Fire Training (SFT) Accredited FFl Academy or equivalent FFl Academy taught at a California accredited institution of post-secondary education recognized by the American Council on Education
Other - CAL FIRE Fire Fighter 1A Certificate or NFPA 1001 (Structural)
Other - Firefighter Survival (Structural)
Other - SFT Confined Space Awareness Certificate or higher
Other - CAL FIRE Fire Fighter 1B Certificate or NFPA 1072 or 472 or 470 (HazMat)
Other - Hazardous Materials First Responder Operational
Other - CAL FIRE Fire Fighter 1C Certificate or NFPA 1051 or 1140 (Wildland)
Other - L180 Human Factors in Wildland Fire Service
Other - S190 Intro to Wildland Fire Behavior
Other - S130 Firefighter Training
Other - S131 Firefighter Type 1 Training
Other - Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) IS-100: Introduction to the Incident Command System
Other - FEMA IS-200: Basic Incident Command System for Initial Response
Other - FEMA IS-700: An Introduction to the National Incident Management System (NIMS)
Other - FEMA IS-800: National Response Framework, An Introduction
Other - CPR
Other - Public Safety First Aid (PSFA)
Other - Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)
Other - Paramedic (EMT-P)
Other - Honorable Military Discharge Paperwork (DD-214 or NGB-22)
Other - Copy of the front and back of a valid driver's license of the appropriate class by the Department of Motor Vehicles

Applicants requiring reasonable accommodations for the hiring interview process must request the necessary accommodations if scheduled for a hiring interview. The request should be made at the time of contact to schedule the interview. Questions regarding reasonable accommodations may be directed to the EEO contact listed on this job posting.

California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) jobs

Fire Fighter I

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