CAL FIRE Careers

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Sacramento, CA
CAL FIRE Careers

Join the team that serves and safeguards the people, property and resources of California!

The men and women of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) are dedicated to the fire protection and stewardship of over 31 million acres of California's privately-owned wildlands. In addition, the Department provides varied emergency services in 36 of the State's 58 counties via contracts with local governments. CAL FIRE’s values represent beliefs that are shared amo

ng the stakeholders of the Department. Values drive the culture and priorities and provide a framework in which decisions are made. CAL FIRE’s organizational culture is built upon a total force concept, in which every employee in the Department, regardless of assigned role, plays an integral part in emergency response, public safety, resource
management, watershed protection, and meeting the Department’s mission and goals. To this end, the following values are highlighted as expected roles of every employee within the Department. Service
• We are committed to the safety and well-being of the public and our employees.
• We strive for excellence and professionalism.
• We maintain a can-do attitude and humility in the ex*****on of our duties. Cooperation
• We care about each other and our service to others, including cooperators, governing bodies, and the public.
• We build and maintain cooperative relationships across the State to benefit the public we serve.
• We allow every member of the Department a voice within a chain-of-command structure. Protection
• We integrate resource management, fi re protection, and fire prevention missions on behalf of the State and local communities.
• We strive to ensure a high level of environmental protection in all our
programs and operations. Organizational Excellence
• We value the diversity among our employees and the vital functions
they perform to enhance our mission.
• We exhibit calm resilience and performance in the face of emergencies and disasters of any scale.
• We recognize the importance of clear and consistent communication.
• We embrace and support innovation. Cal Fire Careers is here to share information on opportunities available with the department, whether you are coming from outside or are looking for career advancement opportunities from within.

06/02/2026

CAL FIRE is proud to celebrate PRIDE Month! 🌈

We’re committed to building a workplace where every member of our team, on the front lines, in the field, and in support roles, feels respected, valued, and included. Our service is stronger when everyone can bring their full selves to the work we do for the people of California. Together, we continue fostering a culture of equality, dignity, and support for all.

Join the California Natural Resources Agency and its departments for virtual and in‑person events throughout June as we honor and celebrate the lives, contributions, and experiences of LGBTQIA2S+ communities. 💛💙💜

05/22/2026

🚨 LOOKING TO GROW IN YOUR CAREER? APPLY TO TAKE THE FORESTRY ASSISTANT II EXAM TODAY!🚨

Healthy forests mean safer communities. 🏠🔥 Join CAL FIRE as a Forestry Assistant II and play a critical role in fire prevention through strategic resource management. It’s more than forestry; it’s public service at its most natural level.

Minimum Exam and Position Qualifications:

Either I
Three years of experience in California state service performing the duties of a Forestry Assistant I. (Candidates who are within six months of meeting experience requirements may take the examination but cannot be appointed until they have obtained the required experience.)

Or II
Five years of progressively responsible resource management experience. (Qualifying experience includes: reforestation, timber harvest operations, urban forestry, or other related forestry work; environmental protection work; fire control experience in the California Department of Forestry, of which a minimum of two years must have been at a level of responsibility equivalent to the class of Fire Apparatus Engineer.)

Or III
Education: Equivalent to graduation from college with a degree in forestry, natural resource management, conservation, or a closely related subject. (Registration as a senior will admit applicants to the examination, but they must produce evidence of graduation or its equivalent before they can be considered eligible for appointment.)

📅 Final Application Date: June 10, 2026

For more information about the Forestry Assistant II classification, visit
https://www.joincalfire.com/classifications/resource-management/forestry/forestry-assistant-ii?tab=requirementTab

Click the link to apply to take the exam on our dashboard CalCareers: https://calcareers.ca.gov/CalHrPublic/Exams/ExamBulletin.aspx?ExamControlId=5119

05/19/2026

🚨 THE FORESTRY TECHNICIAN EXAM FILING PERIOD IS HERE!🚨

Looking for a career where your office spans thousands of acres? Start your career in resource management with CAL FIRE by taking the Forestry Technician examination.

Minimum Exam and Position Qualifications:

Either I
Education: Equivalent to 15 semester units of college in forestry, natural resource management, conservation, or a closely related subject.

Or II
Experience: Six months of experience in practical resource management, conservation, or fieldwork in a State of California resources agency department or in a forest management/timber harvesting operation. (Qualifying experience includes reforestation, timber harvest operations, urban forestry, or other related forestry/nursery work; or environmental resource protection work, including Resource Protection Trainee/Fire Prevention Assistant, or related fire control experience in the Resources Agency or as a corps member in a California Conservation Corps/California Department of Forestry fire center.)

Or
One year of urban resource community organizing work such as tree planting, community gardening, park development, and civic landscape beautification programs.

And
Education: equivalent to completion of the 12th grade.

📅 Final Application Date: June 10, 2026

For more information about the Forestry Technician classification, visit

https://www.joincalfire.com/classifications/resource-management/forestry/forestry-technician?tab=requirementTab

Click the link to apply to take the exam on our dashboard, CalCareers: https://calcareers.ca.gov/CalHrPublic/Exams/ExamBulletin.aspx?ExamControlId=5097

05/01/2026

CAL FIRE celebrates AAPI Heritage Month!

This May we honor the legacy of AAPI leaders past and present. Their journeys have written our history and shaped our shared landscape, creating a foundation of resilience and innovation. By celebrating the paths they paved, we empower the leaders of tomorrow to continue to be courageous and passionate while passing the torch to the next generation of trailblazers.

04/30/2026

🔥 Come by the Work4CA Annual Spring Career Fair and talk to one of our CAL FIRE recruiters!

Meet with state recruiters to learn about career opportunities and attend seminars to learn how to navigate the state's application process.

📅 Date: Today, April 30, 2026
🕚 Time: 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
📌 Location: SETA, 925 Del Paso Blvd, Suite #100, Sacramento, CA 95815 (FREE PARKING!)

04/29/2026

Want awesome health benefits, a fair wage, pension and work life balance? Then you are ready to start your State career. Come talk with California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection and many more departments about how to get started.

CAL FIRE will be at SETA for the Cal HR Annual Spring Career Fair!

Meet many State of California recruiters and ask questions regarding their work life balance, benefits and telework opportunities. Use this opportunity also to ask about the state application process, taking an exam, and the interview process. A computer lab is also on site to create a Cal Careers account, take online exams and apply for open positions.

Plan to visit by registering at https://tinyurl.com/49je8fnm

Doors open at 10 a.m. and close at 2 p.m.

Location has free parking at 925 Del Paso Blvd, Suite #100, Sacramento, CA 95815

Visit website for more information: SETA website

04/24/2026

Come find at the Wings Over Solano 2026 Air Show!

In honor of America’s 250th birthday, Travis Air Force Base is happy to host their free and open to the public biennial air show, headlined by the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds. The event features exciting aerial demonstrations, static aircraft displays, and family‑friendly activities.

Plan ahead for your visit. Gates open at 9 a.m., and the show starts at 10 a.m.

Find Travis Air Force Base access information here: https://www.wingsoversolano.com/base-access

Visit the main event website here: https://www.wingsoversolano.com/

04/21/2026

🚨 THE FORESTRY FIRE PILOT EXAM IS NOW OPEN CONTINUOUSLY! 🚨

You can now access and take our exam 24/7 from anywhere online and receive your results within 24-48 hours! Put your helicopter flight experience to work for CAL FIRE in support of wildland fire response, internal and cross agency incident operations, and resource management.

Minimum Exam and Position Qualifications:
Licenses: Possession of a valid Federal Aviation Agency (FAA) Commercial Airman Certificate with rotorcraft-helicopter rating or a valid FAA Airline Transport Pilot's Certificate with a rotorcraft- helicopter rating. And

Possession of a valid and current Class II Airman's Medical Certificate issued by an FAA authorized medical examiner. And

Possession of a valid driver license of the appropriate class issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles. Applicants who do not possess this license will be admitted to the examination but must secure the license prior to appointment. And

Experience: Applicants must have logged at least 2,000 hours of pilot-in-command flying helicopters, which must include the following:

1. At least 500 hours of mountain pilot-in-command helicopter flight time, routinely making landings in mountainous terrain above 4,000 feet MSL.

2. At least 500 hours of turbine helicopter time as pilot-in- command.

3. Two hundred and fifty hours as pilot-in-command of helicopters performing low level missions in fire control, map survey, powerline patrol, search and rescue, and spray or seeding operations over mountain or forested or comparable military operations.

4. At least 100 hours as pilot-in-command in helicopters carrying sling loads.

5. At least 50 hours as pilot-in-command in helicopters in the past year.

📅 Application Date: 24/7 - Continuous

For more information about the Forestry Fire Pilot classification, visit
https://www.joincalfire.com/classifications/fire-protection/aviation/forestry-fire-pilot

Click the link to apply to take the exam on our dashboard CalCareers: https://calcareers.ca.gov/CalHrPublic/Exams/ExamBulletin.aspx?ExamControlId=4551

Address

Sacramento, CA

Telephone

+19168949585

Website

https://www.joincalfire.com/, https://www.fire.ca.gov/conditions-of-use

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