Applicant Information

Miles of hiking in and near burned areas are a regular part of hotshot life.

 

A hotshot performs ignitions on a prescribed burn.

The hotshot crew consists of twenty personnel. Of the twenty, nine are firefighters in leadership roles, including superintendent, captain, squad bosses, and senior firefighters. An additional eleven are seasonal firefighters. Every year, the crew seeks quality candidates to fill crew member positions. Seasonal positions usually start in early May and end in late October.

Arrowhead Hotshots are hired at GS-04 and GS-05 pay rates. Overtime is paid after 8 hours per day at 150% of the employee’s base wage. For duty in hazardous situations, such as wildfires, employees are compensated an additional 25% of their base wage.

Overtime accrual can vary dramatically from year to year, depending upon the severity of the fire season and other factors. To date, the record-high number of seasonal overtime hours was 1,097 (in 2017), while the record-low was 190 (in 1983).

While all are welcome to apply, applicants without prior fire experience are rarely hired due to the competitive nature of these positions. It is recommended to work on wildland fire engines or type-two hand crews before becoming a hotshot.

For information relevant to all wildland firefighting jobs, visit the National Park Service Applicant Information Page.

 

Members of the Arrowhead Hotshots on assignment in 2018