Forest Fire Inspector / Prevention Specialist

Enforce fire regulations, inspect forest for fire hazards, and recommend forest fire prevention or control measures. May report forest fires and weather conditions.

O*NET reports this occupation under titles such as: Fire Management Officer; Fire Operations Forester; Fire Prevention Officer; Fire Prevention Technician; Fire Technician; Forest Officer; Forest Patrolman; Forestry Patrolman; Wildfire Mitigation Specialist; Wildfire Prevention Specialist

Tasks

• Relay messages about emergencies, accidents, locations of crew and personnel, and fire hazard conditions.
• Conduct wildland firefighting training.
• Estimate sizes and characteristics of fires, and report findings to base camps by radio or telephone.
• Direct crews working on firelines during forest fires.
• Locate forest fires on area maps, using azimuth sighters and known landmarks.
• Extinguish smaller fires with portable extinguishers, shovels, and axes.
• Patrol assigned areas, looking for forest fires, hazardous conditions, and weather phenomena.
• Compile and report meteorological data, such as temperature, relative humidity, wind direction and velocity, and types of cloud formations.
• Examine and inventory firefighting equipment, such as axes, fire hoses, shovels, pumps, buckets, and fire extinguishers, to determine amount and condition.
• Educate the public about fire safety and prevention.
• Direct maintenance and repair of firefighting equipment, or requisition new equipment.
• Maintain records and logbooks.
• Administer regulations regarding sanitation, fire prevention, violation corrections, and related forest regulations.
• Restrict public access and recreational use of forest lands during critical fire seasons.
• Inspect camp sites to ensure that campers are in compliance with forest use regulations.

Knowledge

• Administration and Management
• Customer and Personal Service
• Personnel and Human Resources
• Education and Training
• Public Safety and Security
• Computers and Electronics
• English Language
• Law and Government
• Transportation
• Administrative
• Mechanical
• Communications and Media
• Geography

Skills

• Critical Thinking
• Speaking
• Active Listening
• Monitoring
• Reading Comprehension
• Writing
• Learning Strategies
• Active Learning

Abilities

• Oral Expression
• Problem Sensitivity
• Oral Comprehension
• Deductive Reasoning
• Near Vision
• Written Comprehension
• Inductive Reasoning
• Flexibility of Closure
• Far Vision
• Speech Clarity
• Written Expression
• Perceptual Speed
• Information Ordering
• Speed of Closure
• Speech Recognition
• Originality
• Category Flexibility
• Selective Attention
• Multilimb Coordination
• Depth Perception