Completing the Women in Wildland Fire Boot Camp signifies participants have fulfilled several key entry-level training requirements for seasonal employment by federal agencies or private contractors. Training combines classroom instruction and hands-on field exercises.

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management Vale District will accept applications for its Women in Wildland Fire Boot Camp through Sept. 18.

Successful applicants will be notified Sept. 25.

Training will be Oct. 9-11 and Oct. 16-18, not including travel days between Vale and the remote duty station in Eastern Oregon. Participants must attend both sessions and complete all training.

Graduates are certified for wildland firefighting, and qualify to apply for temporary seasonal or on-call jobs in the 2021 season, a Vale BLM outreach notice said. Participants must be at least 18 at time of hire next June.

“One thing we were noticing was that we were not getting a lot of women applicants” for wildland-firefighter training and employment opportunities, Vale District BLM Center Manager Cassandra Fleckenstein said.

She said the boot camp graduated about 50 women in its first two years, 2018 and 2019. Limiting classes to 25-30 participants helps maintain the desired learning environment and opportunities for one-on-one instruction.

Fleckenstein said the boot camp in part aims to enable women to decide if they want to work in wildland fire. Training and experience also may help them pursue related career opportunities later.

About 70% of last year’s class got fire jobs in 2020, including at local departments and federal and state agencies, she said.

Participants in the outdoor program this year will follow COVID-19 safety protocols including any updated State of Oregon guidance.

Vale BLM said in a news release that students will be paid $15.29 per hour for training time. Course materials, personal-protective equipment and meals will be provided. Training is a combination of classroom instruction and hands-on field exercises ranging from firefighting techniques, tools and equipment to communications and safety.

Fleckenstein can be reached at 541-473-6295 or candrews@blm.gov.