Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists Career, Salary and Skills
Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists have a BLS-reported national median annual wage of $56,870 based on the 2025 OEWS dataset, with reported national employment of 2,780. Wage data is published for 27 locations.
Occupation description
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 code
33-2022.00
Job zone
3
Typical education
High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
Experience
Over 2 years, up to and including 4 years
National salary and employment
Median annual
$56,870
Hourly median
$27.34
Employment
2,780
Data year
2025
National salary distribution
Top skills
| Skill | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Critical Thinking | 4.00 | 3.88 |
| Coordination | 3.75 | 3.75 |
| Speaking | 3.75 | 3.38 |
| Active Listening | 3.62 | 3.25 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.62 | 3.25 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.50 | 3.25 |
| Monitoring | 3.38 | 3.38 |
| Instructing | 3.25 | 3.00 |
| Writing | 3.12 | 3.00 |
| Learning Strategies | 3.12 | 3.12 |
Typical 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.
Technology
- Amazon Web Services AWS CloudFormation
- Amazon Web Services AWS software
- Ansible software
- Docker
- Fire incident reporting systems
- Git
- Kubernetes
- Linux
- Mapping software
- Microsoft Active Server Pages ASP
- Microsoft Azure software
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists salary by location
Areas with the highest reported employment for this occupation.
- Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists Salary in CAMedian $97,370 · Employment 480
- Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists Salary in GAMedian $48,010 · Employment 350
- Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists Salary in OKMedian $61,700 · Employment 310
- Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists Salary in COMedian $50,170 · Employment 210
- Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists Salary in NJMedian $57,380 · Employment 140
- Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists Salary in ORMedian $73,530 · Employment 140
- Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists Salary in ARMedian $43,310 · Employment 140
- Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists Salary in Los Angeles, CAMedian $105,460 · Employment 130
- Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists Salary in MSMedian $31,720 · Employment 100
- Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists Salary in New York, NYMedian $58,240 · Employment 100
- Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists Salary in FLMedian $51,690 · Employment 100
- Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists Salary in LAMedian $75,480 · Employment 90
Related careers
- Transit and Railroad PoliceNational median $90,230
- Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including HealthNational median $82,220
- Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service WorkersNational median $33,580
- Transportation Vehicle, Equipment and Systems Inspectors, Except AviationNational median $92,100
- Public Safety TelecommunicatorsNational median $53,040
- Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including HealthNational median $55,090
- Security GuardsNational median $38,020
- Occupational Health and Safety TechniciansNational median $61,560
Career and skills data: O*NET 31.0 (onetcenter.org). Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, 2025 (bls.gov/oes). Figures are published survey estimates, not real-time market data.