What do you do as a Forestry Technician?
I fight fires in wildlands with a fire engine crew most of the year. The summer of 2001 marked my 7th season fighting wildland fires! I start a typical day by doing physical training for about 60 to 90 minutes. Then I help inspect the engine truck to make sure it will run properly in case someone calls us to control a fire. If someone calls us about a fire, we spring into action! We have to determine the location of the fire, find a route to the fire, and get there safely. When we get to the fire, we must extinguish (put out) the fire. If we can't do it ourselves, we quickly "request backup" by calling for help.

If we don't have to fight a wildfire, then I might train others how to fight wildfires and talk to the public about fire prevention. I may also help plan a "prescribed fire" which is a smaller, controlled fire that helps improve habitat for plants and animals and prevent big, dangerous wildfires. We might set a prescribed fire on purpose to reduce the amount of dead wood and brush on the ground. At recreation sites, sometimes I speak with the public, pick up trash, clean up campsites, and make sure everyone is being safe with fire. One tool I use to plan prescribed fires is a "geographic information system" (GIS). I can use a GIS to make computerized maps of an area that show things like number of trees and people living in an area. A "dispatch" system is another tool I might use to talk to people in the field over a CB radio or cell phone. When people report a fire, they call a dispatcher. The dispatcher sends people to help with the fire.

During the busy season I'm "on call" 24 hours a day, every day, for about six months. I usually work about 8-10 hours a day, six days a week. But if we get a fire call, I may have to work 14-16 hours for a few days. If I'm assigned to work outside the forest, I may work away from home for up to 3 weeks!

How did you decide to become a Forestry Technician?
I grew up in Flagstaff, Arizona, a town surrounded by forests. As a teenager, I enrolled in the Youth Conservation Corps (YCC), to do projects in the forests. The YCC let me meet many people who worked with fires. As I listened to their stories about fighting wildland fires, I became excited to try it myself!

I studied Forestry at Northern Arizona University (NAU) in Flagstaff, Arizona. My favorite classes included anything related to math and "taxonomy" (identifying plants and trees). When I finished college, I went to the Tonto National Forest for my new job!

What's your favorite part of your job?
My favorite part of my job is going on adventures to different parts of "my" forest and other forests around the country. Often I go to places that are very beautiful or hardly ever visited by people! When I travel, I get to meet new friends from all over the country!