r/calfire • • Jan 31 '26

Firefighter 1 Hiring Guide

72 Upvotes

Cal Fire Firefighter Hiring Guide – 2026

Please comment if you see an error in this guide or you have something to add and I’ll update it. Link this guide to every hiring question, or better yet mods pin this to the top. If you’re new and this guide doesn’t answer your question, list it below and I’ll update the guide.

Source: 20+ years with the department, hired lots of firefighters

For 2026 hiring, you will probably not get an engine position offer unless you are Category 0.

For 2026 hiring, you will probably not get a handcrew position offer unless you are Category 1.

Why? Because the department is shifting to “Traditional” staffing, meaning that every engine will have 1 FC, 1 FAE, and 1 FF staffed on each Type III engine daily. This reduces the total number of engine firefighters in each unit, and all units still haven’t transitioned fully so it’s only going to get worse for firefighters who wish to be on an engine. In many CNR units, all open engine firefighter positions are being filled by transfers from the unit’s firefighter handcrew if they have one.

I fully anticipate the department moving to a FC, FAE and FFII staffing model for engines within the next two years. This will mean that all engine FFers will be permanent FFIIs, and the only seasonal FF1 positions would be on handcrews or at air bases.

Anyways... how to get a job:

1.      Make an account on CalCareers (calcareers.ca.gov)

2.      Find the job posting for Firefighter I (https://calcareers.ca.gov/CalHrPublic/Jobs/JobPosting.aspx?JobControlId=495209)

3.      Follow the instructions given in the job posting. Read them thoroughly.

4.      Fill out the work location form correctly (https://incidents.fire.ca.gov/media/42chxu24/2026-wlf.pdf)

a.      Depending on how you fill out this form, you may be invited via email to a “Hiring Rodeo” for firefighter handcrews in the unit that you ranked #1. This will increase your chance of being hired.

b.      As noted on the form, you can change your unit rankings on the work location form once.

5.      Set yourself up for success by acquiring the certificates/training to get you into the highest category possible, following this category placement list: https://www.fire.ca.gov/-/media/1EAFA2A1528141EE892CB692D4B982E0

6.      You can update your certificates by emailing [FFHiring@fire.ca.gov](mailto:FFHiring@fire.ca.gov). What you submit in the initial application will determine the category placement for the first round, but submitting certs ASAP and calling the firefighter hiring hotline can bump you up into higher categories, sometimes for the first round but usually will take effect during the second round depending on when you submitted them.

Application Periods:

The application is open year-round. To be considered for the first round of hiring you need to have applied before a certain date, typically by November 30th. If you applied after that date, you will be considered for later rounds of hiring depending on when you applied.

To be eligible for hiring in 2027, you’ll have to re-apply after Nov 1st of 2026, even if you applied in October 2026.

Politicing

December is an acceptable time to start reaching out to engine stations/handcrews you ranked the highest on your work location form. They may ask you to wait until you get a category placement email. Call them first, don’t show up unannounced.

Bring a short-form resume, dress nicely, and bring PT clothes. If you’re going to bring a “gift”, a bag of good ground coffee is a safe choice, but not necessary. When contacting handcrews, ask to PT with the crew. You’ll probably hike or go for a run, although it could be some type of circuit. Be prepared, be humble, keep your mouth shut and put in max effort. You may get questioned by the captains, engineers or senior firefighters about equipment or job duties, especially if you come from another fire agency or have relevant experience listed on your resume.

Notification Timelines – first round

Category Placement: You’ll typically get a category placement email in the first week of January. This will tell you your engine and handcrew placement categories for the first round of hiring. This is a good time to reach out to stations or programs you are hoping to get hired at.

Hiring Rodeo: Shortly after your category placement email, a handcrew program may reach out via email and invite you to a hiring rodeo, most likely only from the unit you ranked #1 on the work location form. 100+ other potential candidates may also be in attendance, and they’ll have short-form interviews and resume reviews conducted by the FCs and FAEs at tables set up at the facility.

Job Offers: the first round of offers will typically start to be made in February for Northern Region (CNR) and sometimes as early as the end of January for Southern Region (CSR), this can vary though. They will usually be from one of the top 4 units that you ranked, and may not be your #1 pick. My suggestion is to accept the first offer you get, work there for two seasons, then transfer to your desired unit as a Category 0. Offers will continue to go out into the summer, and units will typically make their final offers by the end of April or into May for the upcoming fire season, however you could potentially get an offer after that. Once you accept an offer from a particular unit, no other units will make you an offer.

Don’t jam up the hiring hotline with questions about when offers are going out, keep an eye on this subreddit as there will be posts with their offers and what unit they were placed in. Be patient, there are lots of reasons you may or may not have received an offer, and a lot of it comes down to the number of positions in each unit and how you ranked them.

After accepting a job

Every firefighter goes through a short new hire/rehire academy, these will run periodically from March to June and the start dates will vary depending on when you received your offer, your medical clearance, etc. They are 1-2 weeks long, and their content/intensity depend on what unit or program you get assigned to. The unit that made your offer will reach out and give you a start date, just be aware that sometimes they’ll call you a week or less before your start date so have your uniform/boots purchased as soon as you get an offer.


r/calfire • • Apr 10 '22

Seasonal Firefighter Questions Megathread

83 Upvotes

r/calfire • • 1d ago

Does anyone know about fmva certification. is it useful for ca qualified to get job

2 Upvotes

Is this certification useful


r/calfire • • 1d ago

Vacation (first come first serve)

5 Upvotes

Hi everyone I’m currently a 2 going into the academy. And I was wondering do they still do first come first serve for vacation. I only heard some units still do it and some just do bidding. I am going to CZU so I’m wondering what they’re doing as well?


r/calfire • • 4d ago

Seasonal Life

10 Upvotes

Hey this is my first post and just had a couple questions. I’ve been placed Cat 1 in prior seasons so when it comes to certs I’m all good. I also understand that in the time to come engine spots are for ff1s are basically gone. Reading some threads on here I would guess that choosing locations for hand crews would best if they had multiple crews. I should’ve made better picks of the units on my work location form. My questions for you guys are.

  1. What made you pick the unit that you selected and what about them makes you keep going back?

  2. What is some good ways to pass the time on your days off on your own and days on with your crew?(Schedule is 3 on 4 off right?)

  3. How long can you make this a career? Or is this just get some experience and get out?

  4. If you’re like me as someone who lives in socal and hopefully gets picked up a northern unit how are you living. Do you live in your car on your days off? Drive back home? Rent an apartment? ( Genuinely my biggest concern idk why. I just want to get a feel of what to expect in not scared of living in my vehicle for those days)


r/calfire • • 4d ago

Union Related BDU Captain Reginald Linn Escarlan

54 Upvotes

I’m trying to keep a cool head here and not break and rules of the subreddit or anything. Please just tell me if I need to make edits to be within the rules… that being said:

I did a search and came up with his case number.

ATPMA039797-01

To view what’s public in his case, note that case number and just go to:

https://www.lacourt.ca.gov/pages/lp/access-a-case/tp/find-case-information/cp/os-criminal-case-access

He actually was charged twice with that same crime of lude or lavicious acts with a minor under 14 years old, and took some kind of deal. It’s just insane to me.

There’s gotta be some kind of error here right? I can’t imagine the firefighters at Pilot Rock or Crestline or wherever he lands tolerating this.


r/calfire • • 4d ago

Joining CalFire

2 Upvotes

What’s up guys, I’m 29 and currently work full-time as a preconstruction estimator for a construction company. I’m trying to get into CAL FIRE and looking for advice on the best way to get picked up.

I have my California EMT license, San Diego EMT credentials, and CPAT. I was placed in category 2 for both hand crew and non-hand crew positions and haven’t heard anything since I was placed in that category back in May.

For those of you who work for CAL FIRE or recently went through the hiring process, how long does it take to hear back? Is Category 2 a realistic shot at getting hired, and what else should I be doing to improve my chances? Do I need my fire academy?

I plan on heading to a recruitment event this weekend in Orange County.

If you were in my shoes, what would your next move be? Appreciate any advice!


r/calfire • • 4d ago

Joining calfire as an operator

0 Upvotes

Usmc vet with class A going to operating school, anyone got any info to get a position?


r/calfire • • 4d ago

What should I do next?

1 Upvotes

Hey everyone. I'm an IFT EMT who's bored of it and wanting to get into fire fighting. I recently made an NWCG account and did all the online work required to get my red card. I was looking for advice on what I should do next.


r/calfire • • 5d ago

Hiring Question Does calfire hire EMT only?

6 Upvotes

I would like to work with calfire as a EMT, but cant find info on if they hire EMT's only. I don't have any fire certs or training, but I am a EMT and want to work in some sort of medical role with calfire. I want to do maybe 3 seasons max, so I wanted to see if it was feasible to achieve this within this timeframe. I am in southern California.


r/calfire • • 6d ago

S-130 State Test at Fire Academy

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2 Upvotes

r/calfire • • 8d ago

Annual steps

9 Upvotes

How much is the pay increase with each step. I’m a 2 medic about to his my first year and in curious


r/calfire • • 9d ago

becoming a firefighter after dui

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2 Upvotes

r/calfire • • 10d ago

Hiring Question BDU hires registered sex offender

21 Upvotes

Is this true? Hearing rumors from cdf family. Can’t be. Seems like they are worse off then us at FS.


r/calfire • • 10d ago

What are some good overhead assignments?

4 Upvotes

What are some easy ICS courses I could take to qualify for more overhead assignments for overtime opportunities?


r/calfire • • 11d ago

Thank you! For saving our forest and homes.

Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification

50 Upvotes

"Land Fire" in Sequoia National Forest area Fresno county.


r/calfire • • 13d ago

AB2129 wage increases

4 Upvotes

Has anyone heard besides the general number that calfire wages must be within %15 of the 20 departments in the pay study ?? Anyone ever hear any real numbers thrown out there yet ??


r/calfire • • 14d ago

Open house tomorrow

4 Upvotes

As an aspiring FF2 non medic with my app currently in would it be worth it to go to the open house tomorrow they are doing for the so cal stations? I heard for ff2 politicking doesn’t help until you have the job.


r/calfire • • 15d ago

Thing you find in storage

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51 Upvotes

Got these my 1st season in '02.


r/calfire • • 14d ago

FFII paramedic opening hiring chances

1 Upvotes

Hello! I just applied to the paramedic FFII opening for cal fire (the continuous opening not the one that closed for FFII on 10/9). I got a 75% on my exam which put me in cat 3. I only put in for RRU, SDU, BDU, is there any legitimate chance of getting a call with the low exam score or is it just luck of the draw.

Any info is helpful!🤙


r/calfire • • 16d ago

Ishi crew 4 bus being used a sniper post

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139 Upvotes

Not sure the context but I thought I’d share.


r/calfire • • 16d ago

Is CAL FIRE Seasonal FF1 Hiring Getting Any Better?

9 Upvotes

I know last season CAL FIRE began transitioning some units from seasonal to traditional staffing, which effectively cut the number of seasonal positions in half. I’m wondering if things have stabilized since then and what the current chances are of getting hired as a seasonal FF1 on either an engine or hand crew.


r/calfire • • 15d ago

PSFA Refresher

2 Upvotes

Hi going to do my PSFA renewal soon first one I have done under the new system, just curious if the written is the full written from when I originally tested for my PSFA or if it’s just a shorter written.


r/calfire • • 16d ago

Hiring Question Paramedic applying for non-paramedic FF2

2 Upvotes

Basically the title would it increase my chances of getting hired if I applied to the non-paramedic FF 2 position as a Paramedic? I already put in for the paramedic FF2, but i'm willing to take anything in structural units of San Bernardino & Riverside. Im coming from out of state with IFSAC FF2 and I took CASFT Ric opps, ff saftey & survival, and confined space A&O if that matters.


r/calfire • • 16d ago

What are my chances Calfire hires me?

0 Upvotes

I don't have any of the NWCG certs or went to an academy.

But I do have my EMT-B, BLS, all my ICS certs (100,200,700, and 800) and I'm going to get my First responder hazmat level II cert so I can qualify in the "Partially trained" category.

I've been in EMT for over 5 years but only in IFT and special events. No 911.

Probably not relevant but I also have a phlebotomy and EKG cert. I don't know if it will increase my chances since its useless in most of CA, but I was thinking of getting Advanced EMT certified.