Training / Hiring Forest Firefighters

The Department of Natural Resources has a small cadre of permanent staff who are involved full time in forest fire fighting. These staff work out of one of four Regional Fire Centres or at the Forest Fire Management Section (and the Provincial Forest Fire Centre) in Fredericton.

The Department’s primary forest firefighters are the Forest Ranger and Forest Warden staff who have other duties and responsibilities in addition to fighting forest fires. The Department does not hire crews of seasonal forest firefighters.

During the forest fire season when additional help is required to fight forest fires, the Department will call on local municipal or volunteer fire departments, forest industry and in some cases the general public, for assistance. These are the department’s Emergency Forest Firefighters.

The Department of Natural Resources now offers training courses for people who are interested in becoming qualified as Emergency Forest Firefighters.

The two-day training session combines a day of training in the classroom with a one-day hands-on session in the field. The course is an excellent learning opportunity for those interested in fighting forest fires.

Participants will learn basic concepts of forest fire behaviour and forest fire suppression with special emphasis on safety on the fireline and safe use of forest fire suppression equipment. Successful completion of the course does not guarantee employment with the Department.

Please call or visit your local office offering the course for more information or to register.

The registration fee is $100.00 plus HST (however, If a candidate provides their own Nomex protection which meets the CGSB standard as approved by the Fire Section Equipment Coordinator, then the registration fee can be waived) .

The fee is for the successful candidate's portion of the Personal Protective Equipment which includes;

1. Nomex fire suit meeting CGSB standards,
2. Hard hat,
3. Eye protection,
4. Ear protection, and
5. Gloves

Air tanker pilots

The Department of Natural Resources does not own the aircraft that are used as air tankers and does not hire any pilots. The aircraft and pilots are contracted from a local firm, Forest Protection Limited. For more information on FPL, check out their web site at http://www.forestprotectionltd.com.