The BC Wildfire Service hires about 1,300 seasonal firefighters a year. Applications for 2027 run October 1, 2026 to January 31, 2027 (Parattack closes January 10). You need first aid and a driver’s licence before you are hired, then you pass the WFPAT1 fitness test and a boot camp.
BC Wildfire Service unit crews usually deploy for 14 days at a time. They may work in remote forest areas and camp near the fireline or in established fire camps, often sleeping in tents. source
Comes with camp living: unit crews camp near the fireline or in fire camps, often in tents. source
| Crew | What they do | Crew size | Base | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Attack | First responders to new fires; 3-4 person crews suppress about 94% of new fires; about 400 IA firefighters; deploy with 1-3 days of supplies | 3-4 | Not published | source |
| Unit Crew | Sustained action on larger fires; 30 crews; usual deployment 14 days; each crew has 4 unit crew leaders, 1 supervisor and at least one member with advanced first aid | 22-person (unit crew page, updated June 19 2026); the crews overview page says 20-person | Not published | source |
| Rapattack | Rappels from helicopters into fires with no landing site; about 40 firefighters in 3-person crews | 3 | Salmon Arm (since 1979) | source |
| Parattack | Smokejumpers parachuting from fixed-wing aircraft; about 80 firefighters | Not published | Fort St. John and Mackenzie | source |
Unit crew size is 20–22: the crews page says 20, the unit crew page says 22. S-100 is 16–24 hours: the training page says 16 hours over 2 days, the 2026 standard says 24 hours. WFX-FIT is CIFFC’s separate national test, mentioned only for context; BCWS recruitment uses WFPAT1 source. Minimum age and boot camp location: not published.
Steps from source.
| Detail | Source | |
|---|---|---|
| Issuing body · Url | Official page | source |
| Credential | No licence. BCWS crew member: pass WFPAT1 and the New Recruit Boot Camp (equivalent to CIFFC S-131 Crew Member standard). Contract crews: S-100 (+S-185 in 2026) | source |
| Overview | About 1,300 BCWS wildland firefighters a year across 4 crew types; all trained to CIFFC standards and must complete WFPAT1. Type 1 = BCWS staff; Type 2 and 3 = contract companies. Thousands of contract firefighters also work each year | source |
| Fitness test · Bcws standard | WFPAT1 (Wildland Firefighter Physical Assessment Type 1). Must pass to continue at NRBC. Bring a Physician Release Form, or have resting blood pressure under 160/90 and complete a Get Active questionnaire; forms given when you accept an NRBC spot or at the test venue | source |
| Fitness test · Wfpat1 components | Pre-screen; standardized warm-up; treadmill: 23 min carrying a 25 kg pack at 3 mph, up to 15% grade (18 min work + 5 min cool-down), must finish; task floor: 15 min, at least 12 tasks (kettlebell carry, pump carry, sled pull) | source |
| Fitness test · Where when | Tested in connection with NRBC (mid-April to mid-May); exact venues not published | source |
| Fitness test · Wfx fit note | WFX-FIT is the separate CIFFC circuit: pump carried on the back (28.5 kg) 160 m, pump hand-carried, hose pack (25 kg) 1 km, charged hose advance sled drag; national exchange standard 14:30. BCWS crew recruitment uses WFPAT1, not WFX-FIT | source |
| Application 2027 · Window | 2027 applications open Oct 1 2026, close Jan 31 2027; online only | source |
| Application 2027 · Timeline | Interviews October to March (monthly as needed); NRBC invitations November to April; NRBC sessions and job offers April to mid-May; first-year work to end of October | source |
| Application 2027 · Posting | BC Public Service posting 125753 (Wildfire Crew Member) close date 10/31/2026 for the first assessment round (mid-November 2026) | source |
| Application 2027 · Parattack | Parattack 2027: applications close Jan 10 2027; interviews Jan 18-25 2027; offers from Feb 1 2027 | source |
| Application 2027 · Openings | About 200 crew member openings a season; 1,000-2,100 applications a year; 100 to over 350 jobs | source |
| Eligibility · Minimum age | not published No minimum age on BCWS wildfire-fighters page (opened 2026-11-01) | source |
| Eligibility · Work status | Must be eligible to work in Canada; BCWS does not sponsor work visas | source |
| Eligibility · First aid | Intermediate First Aid (formerly OFA Level 2) plus Transportation Endorsement (proof of enrolment OK if completed before Apr 1 2027), or Advanced First Aid (formerly OFA Level 3) (enrolment not enough); valid until Oct 31 2027; must show proof at the interview | source |
| Eligibility · Drivers licence | Valid Canadian licence equivalent to B.C. Class 5 (Class 7N may be considered) for all crews | source |
| Training · Bootcamp | New Recruit Boot Camp (NRBC): several camps, 6-8 days each, mid-April to mid-May; online courses first; covers pumps, chainsaw, helicopter safety, navigation, ICS, entrapment and more; equals CIFFC S-131 | source |
| Training · Bootcamp location | not published Page says multiple camps, mid-April to mid-May; locations not given (opened 2026-11-01) | source |
| Training · S100 | S-100 Basic Fire Suppression and Safety: the minimum B.C. wildfire training, needed by anyone on a BCWS-managed fire. 2026: S-100 (2021), S-100A annual refresher, and S-185 Fire Entrapment Avoidance accepted; 2027: updated S-100 (2025) includes S-185. Course 16 h over 2 days, refresher 4 h; taught only by BCWS-endorsed instructors | source |
| Training · S100 2026 standard | 2026 standard: 24 h (12 classroom + 12 field); written exam 70% pass plus practical skills check; S-100A taken every year; full course again after 5 years | source |
| Pay | Wildfire Crew Member, Forest Technician 9 WF (BCGEU), temporary auxiliary: $54,684.22-$61,647.97 a year, plus isolation allowance $39.92-$97.98 every two weeks (posting 125753) | source |
| Pay grid | BCGEU grid: crew members moved from range 9 to range 10 from the first pay period after Mar 8 2026 | source |
| Contractors · Types | Type 2: low-risk direct attack, hose and pump lines, fire guards, fuel removal. Type 3: mop-up, patrol, moving equipment. CIFFC sets the training standards | source |
| Contractors · List | BCWS Fire Crew Contractor List (June 2025), 49 lines; apply to the companies directly | source |
| Contractors · Procurement | Crew Services Type II/III contracts are tendered on BC Bid (Forests - Fire Suppression), usually Nov-Mar, starting Apr 1; requirements are set in each competition | source |
| Contractors · Training | Contract firefighters need S-100/S-100A (Occupational Health and Safety Regulation s.26.3.1) | source |
| Contractors · Association | not published Page links to approved contract companies; no association named (opened 2026-11-01) | source |
| Typical day | BC Wildfire Service unit crews usually deploy for 14 days at a time. They may work in remote forest areas and camp near the fireline or in established fire camps, often sleeping in tents. | source |
| Camp or remote housing | True | source |
| Eligibility - Minimum age | Not published by BC Wildfire Service (checked Nov 1, 2026) | source, checked Nov 1, 2026 |
| Training - Bootcamp location | Not published by BC Wildfire Service (checked Nov 1, 2026) | source, checked Nov 1, 2026 |
| Contractors - Association | Not published by BC Wildfire Service (checked Nov 1, 2026) | source, checked Nov 1, 2026 |
From the BCWS Fire Crew Contractor List dated June 2025 (BCWS PDF); no 2026 list was found. Apply to the companies directly. We left out 2 lines where the PDF prints two names on one line. A listing is not an endorsement.
| Company | Crew type |
|---|---|
| 0785350 BC Ltd dba Torrent Silviculture | Type 2/3 contract crew |
| 0812668 BC Ltd | Type 2/3 contract crew |
| 0865482 BC Ltd | Type 2/3 contract crew |
| Akehurst and Galvani (A+G) Reforestation Ltd | Type 2/3 contract crew |
| Alkali Resource Management Ltd | Type 2/3 contract crew |
| Baumanis Timber Contracting Ltd | Type 2/3 contract crew |
| Beavertooth Resources Ltd | Type 2/3 contract crew |
| Cariboo Aboriginal Forestry Enterprises Ltd | Type 2/3 contract crew |
| Carmanah Wildfire Ltd | Type 2/3 contract crew |
| Cedar Raymond Elliot dba Cedars Crew | Type 2/3 contract crew |
| Columbia Extreme Contracting Ltd | Type 2/3 contract crew |
| Debri Resources Ltd | Type 2/3 contract crew |
| Dechen Ventures LP | Type 2/3 contract crew |
| Dynamic Reforestation Ltd | Type 2/3 contract crew |
| Fall Line Forestry Limited | Type 2/3 contract crew |
| Firestorm Enterprises Ltd | Type 2/3 contract crew |
| Golden Fire Jumpers Ltd | Type 2/3 contract crew |
| I.T. Falling Ltd | Type 2/3 contract crew |
| Iverson Forest Management Inc | Type 2/3 contract crew |
| Loki Tree Service | Type 2/3 contract crew |
| Khowutzun Forest Services Ltd | Type 2/3 contract crew |
| Lil'wat Forestry Ventures Inc | Type 2/3 contract crew |
| Macaulay Forestry Ltd | Type 2/3 contract crew |
| Malachite Forestry Ltd | Type 2/3 contract crew |
| Nadleh Whut'en Indian Band | Type 2/3 contract crew |
| Nakimu Ventures Inc | Type 2/3 contract crew |
| Northern Fire WoRx Corp | Type 2/3 contract crew |
| Osprey Forest Operations Ltd | Type 2/3 contract crew |
| Outland Forestry Services Ltd | Type 2/3 contract crew |
| Panormama Crew Services Inc | Type 2/3 contract crew |
| Rhino Reforestation Services Inc | Type 2/3 contract crew |
| Rider Ventures Ltd | Type 2/3 contract crew |
| Sarver Wood Fibre Ltd | Type 2/3 contract crew |
| Seneca Enterprises Ltd | Type 2/3 contract crew |
| Shawn Landry dba Wild Timber | Type 2/3 contract crew |
| Sk'atsin Enterprises LLP | Type 2/3 contract crew |
| Strategic Fire Control Ltd | Type 2/3 contract crew |
| Strategic Natural Resource Consultants Inc. dba Strategic Fire | Type 2/3 contract crew |
| Super Duty Forest Services | Type 2/3 contract crew |
| SXDC Ltd. dba SXD Limited Partnership | Type 2/3 contract crew |
| TDB Consultants Inc | Type 2/3 contract crew |
| T'IT'Q'ET Administration | Type 2/3 contract crew |
| Wild Goose Tours & Travel Ltd | Type 2/3 contract crew |
| Wild Goose Tours Ltd | Type 2/3 contract crew |
| Wildfire Forestry Services Ltd | Type 2/3 contract crew |
| Wolverine Fire & Rescue Ltd | Type 2/3 contract crew |
| Wright Canada Holdings Ltd. dba Spectrum Resource Group | Type 2/3 contract crew |
No. BCWS uses WFPAT1: a 23-minute treadmill walk carrying a 25 kg pack, then a task floor. WFX-FIT is a separate national CIFFC test, used for exchanges.
BCWS does not publish a minimum age.
The location is not published. Camps run 6 to 8 days between mid-April and mid-May.
The minimum BC wildfire training, needed by anyone on a BCWS-managed fire, including contract crews. From 2027 the updated S-100 includes S-185 entrapment avoidance. BCWS lists it as 16 hours over 2 days; the 2026 training standard says 24 hours.
20 to 22 people: the crews overview page says 20, the unit crew page says 22.
This page relies on the official pages below. Rules, fees and processes change, so check the authority before you apply or spend money.
Links checked November 1, 2026. Found an error or a broken link? Report it.