CalFire Announces Surge in Hiring Ahead of California's Fire Season

The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection announced this week what it's calling a "surge" in the hiring of firefighters, specially trained to handle the upcoming fire season.

Officials said in a news release that some 400 seasonal firefighters have already been brought on by the agency. They will focus on things like fire prevention, fuel reduction and defensible space programs.

Though we're emerging from an El Nino year, with rains that are a "welcome sight," crews are not letting their guard down, and are training for a potentially busy fire season, CalFire said.

“While the winter rain has helped decrease the fire risk in some areas, it has not been enough to end the drought,” said Chief Ken Pimlott, director of CalFire. “The rain is welcome, but it will not revive the millions of trees that have already died due to drought and bark beetle. Our firefighters are taking advantage of the weather and ensuring that we are doing everything we can to prevent the types of wildfires we experienced last year.”

CalFire said the bulk of the work the additional firefighters handle will be fire prevention-based.

"The projects the crews are working on range from removing dead trees, creating and maintaining fire breaks, removing dense brush, performing prescribed burning, and assisting homeowners with education on Defensible Space."

The seasonal firefighting positions for 2016 have already been filled, according to CalFire. However, keep checking their website here for information as to when the next hiring window will open.

CalFire reports 240 fires have already occurred since Jan. 1.

For more information on how to create Defensible Space and prepare for fire season, visit ReadyForWildfire.org.

(Patch file photo by Renee Schiavone)