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The Big Sur Fire Ground Division is a 21-person hand crew firefighting program, complementing Big Sur Fire’s current volunteer firefighters. The Ground Division will conduct essential fire prevention work, including fuel reduction, chipping, pile burning, creating firebreaks, and maintaining emergency access routes throughout Big Sur, and as a statewide resource participate in California’s Master Mutual Aid Plan for large fires or other large scale emergencies.
No.
There are three primary types of hand crews; Type 1, Type 2IA, and Type 2. Type 1 crews are (IHC) Hotshot crews; Type 2IA are “Initial Attack” crews. The BSF hand crew is a Type 2 crew which does not meet the same standards as Type 1 or Type 2IA crews.The BSF hand crew is a 21 person crew consisting of: 1 Crew Boss; 2 Squad Bosses; 2 senior crew members; and 16 crew members.
Hand Crew members will perform a variety of tasks including but not limited to fuel reduction projects; wildland fire suppression and mop-up; direct and indirect fireline construction, tree falling operations, and fire suppression repair. Other duties include light construction and fabrication, basic maintenance of equipment used for projects and emergency response.
This is an entry level position (no experience necessary).
No. You will receive initial training once hired. However, previous training is a plus (EMT or EMR certification; valid CPR card; I-100, 200; S-130; S-190; L-180 or other applicable NWCG or State Fire Training certifications).
You must be able to pass the Work Capacity Test (Pack Test) requiring walking 3 miles in 45 minutes or less carrying a 45-pound pack. The work requires strenuous physical exertion for extended periods including, but not limited to, walking, climbing, shoveling, chopping, throwing, lifting, and carrying objects weighing 50 pounds or more, in a wildland environment in steep, uneven, rocky terrain, covered with thick tangled vegetation and poison oak. Temperatures can be extreme due to weather and/or fire conditions, along with smoke and dust.
You will be provided with all necessary PPE (Personal Protective Equipment).
You will need to provide your own:
Fire suppression and performing fuel reduction projects is hard work. To get prepared to work on a hand crew, you should start hiking, running, and lifting weights. You should be able to run at least 4-5 miles at an 8 minutes/mile pace, and be capable of hiking up extremely steep hills for miles at a time with at least 30 pounds of gear. You should also be able to do push-ups, pull-ups, and sit-ups with ease. Make sure you properly break in your boots prior to any assignment.
Yes, it is possible as a statewide resource participating in California’s Master Mutual Aid Plan which can last in excess of 14 days. Communicating with your family or loved ones as to what will be expected of you, especially during fire season, is important.
Hand Crew members will work a 40 hour week during normal conditions. The typical weekly schedule will be 4/10’s (four, ten hour days) with 3 days off. When assigned to incidents as a state wide resource, the schedule will be subject to the incident management teams action plan.
The Hand Crew will follow a daily schedule outlined by the Crew Boss. One can expect a morning equipment check and briefing followed by group physical fitness and a block of training. After lunch, you will work on the various fire prevention projects and other duties as assigned. Everything is subject to change based on emergency response.
Starting pay for entry level is $20.25/hour
As a seasonal Hand Crew member you will be provided 3 meals a day with snacks. Paid sick time (up to 40 hours).
If you have the desire to serve, you can be a volunteer firefighter. You don’t need any prior experience in emergency services; Big Sur Fire will provide all the required training in house during one of our firefighter academies. The next academy is slated for Spring of 2025.
Volunteer firefighters help their fellow community members in times of need. Volunteers firefighters enjoy a sense of accomplishment, achievement, and pride in the work they do. In addition, volunteer firefighters get to learn new skills, make new friends, be a part of a team, give back to their community, and make a real difference. Additionally, Big Sur Fire provides it’s volunteer firefighters with incentives including access to Health and Wellness services, tuition reimbursement, per diem meal and mileage reimbursement, and a boot allowance.
Big Sur Fire trains each new member up to Firefighter 1 certification. This requires approximately 200 hours of training including a CPR class, an Emergency Medical Responder class, a HazMat class, and several online training assignments. This takes approximately 12 weeks to complete. The typical schedule is Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 5:30-9:30pm and Saturdays from 8:30am-5:00pm.
Big Sur Fire is an all risk response fire department which means that if someone calls 911 in Big Sur, we are the first to respond to everything. This includes fire suppression (both structure fires, wildland fires, car fires and any other type of fire), medical emergencies, vehicle accidents, hazardous materials (Hazmat) response and technical rescues. In addition, we host several fundraising events each year and participate in high profile public events which we ask that all members participate in, usually for medical standby.
A firefighter's training never ends. Big Sur Fire offers 3 trainings per month and as a new member, you will be required to attend at least two of them to remain in good standing. The typical schedule (after the fire academy) is the second Thursday from 5:30-9:30pm, the second Saturday from 9:00am-3:00pm and the fourth Sunday from 9:00am-3:00pm.
Yes, Big Sur Fire will occasionally ask community volunteers to assist with the non-emergency tasks. This frees up the firefighters to focus on training and response activities, while enabling community members to provide needed support to help their local department run. Activities may include fundraising, translation services, incident pre-planning, community outreach, fire prevention and life safety education, and much more.
We serve the entire Big Sur Coastline, from Hurricane Point to the San Luis Obispo County line. This includes areas of the Ventana Wilderness Area and the Los Padres National Forest.
Campfires are prohibited along Highway 1, including turnouts. Campfires are also prohibited on Nacimiento-Fergusson Road, Old Coast Road, and other locations where posted. In developed campgrounds, campfires may be allowed in fire rings and other approved fire receptacles, depending on seasonal restrictions. Confirm with the agency, business or private property owner responsible for your location to determine if and where campfires are allowed. Camp stoves may be allowed with an applicable permit. To check current campfire restrictions or obtain a campfire permit, visit https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/lpnf/home/?cid=stelprdb5193333
Highway 1 is currently closed at the Regent’s Slide. The closure is in between Esalen Institute (north of the closure) and Lucia Lodge (south of the closure). Access all businesses as far south as Esalen by taking Highway 1 south from Monterey/Carmel. Access all businesses as far north as Lucia Lodge by taking Highway 1 north from Morro Bay/Cambria. All businesses are OPEN. Up to date information about Highway 1 conditions is available at the Cal Trans Website.
https://roads.dot.ca.gov/?roadnumber=1
Burn Season typically runs from December 1st to April 30th. Check our website for the most up-to-date information.
https://www.bigsurfire.org/burn-permit
Burn permits are available through the Cal Fire website.
https://cdnverify.burnpermit.fire.ca.gov/
You can fill sandbags at the pull out north of Ventana on the east side of the highway. If you see the sand pile or stock of sandbags running low, please contact us at info@bigsurfire.org and let us know.
For information on Insurance Ratings for Homeowners, please have your insurance agent contact us at info@bigsurfire.org.
