Career Profile: Fight Fires as a Wildfire Ranger

Do you love being in the great outdoors? Are you interested in a career that gives you a great sense of accomplishment and pride? Ever dreamt of flying the skies on the lookout for signs of danger? If so, a career as a wildfire ranger could be right for you!

Wildfire ranger Cassie Corbin from the Forest Protection Branch of the Government of Alberta says she was interested in working in a career outdoors in high school, and after testing out the waters in the Junior Forest Ranger (JFR) program, she decided this was the right career path for her.

Corbin graduated from NAIT's Forest Technology Program in 2006 and now holds a wildfire ranger position in Grande Prairie, Alberta. Youthink had the opportunity to talk with Cassie about this dynamic industry!

YT: What is your basic job description?
CC: I am primarily involved in wildfire suppression activities. I also participate in public education programs (classroom visits, seminars, and information booths), facilities maintenance (memorials, fire camps, and lookout towers), issuing orders to reduce/remove fire hazards and wildfire investigations.

YT: What is your working environment like?
CC: My working environment is a combination of field and office with a formal uniform atmosphere. During the fire season, most days are spent outside. For the remainder of the year, it is a combination of office and field days, depending on what projects are being undertaken in my area.

YT: What personality is best suited to your job?
CC: A physically active individual who is adaptive, positive and has the ability to work well with others in an outdoor environment.
YT: What is the salary range?
CC: Salary is based on education and related work experience Current pay schedule indicates a starting wage of $41,160.

YT:What are the perks of your job?
CC: My job is never quite the same day to day, it's dynamic. There's opportunity for additional training, mentoring and educational growth.

YT: What training is necessary to become a wildfire ranger?
CC: The minimum recruitment requirements are a forest technology diploma (with eligibility to register with the College of Alberta Professional Forest Technologists), class five driver's licence and standard first aid. You must also sign a medical waiver, complete a physical fitness test, criminal record check and be a Canadian citizen or landed immigrant. Previous fire experience is beneficial.

YT: Where would one find reputable training to get into forestry?
CC: In the province of Alberta, there is the Forest Technology program at NAIT. (Editor's note: Forestry programs are also available at Portage College in Lac La Biche and at the U of A in Edmonton.)

YT: What kinds of opportunities can this training/job lead to?
CC: Individuals could find themselves involved in timber harvest planning, silviculture planning, reclamation and forest protection. They could be supervising planting crews, doing studies on insect infestations and laying out cutblocks to name just a few activities.

YT: How has the recession affected your industry?
CC: Like other industries, you are seeing different market values for forest products. The forest industry will remain; they are just being more cautious, which is expected for this stage in the economic cycle.

YT: What would you say to people who are hesitant to explore this career path because of the environmental implications of the forestry industry?
CC: Individuals sometimes are not completely informed of all the environmental efforts that the forest industry partakes in. My comment to them would be to become informed, and if they still do not like the implications, what better way to change them but from within?