See Wildland Fire Management Technician.

Positions serve as a Wildland fire management program unit manager within a Region or Division.

Under general direction, and reporting to a WMS manager, has assigned responsibility for implementing the Wildland Fire Management program within a region or division.

Positions at this level resolve complex problems or difficult issues having broad potential impact such as developing and implementing wildland fire unit operations and wildland fire prevention, suppression, and mitigation plans, developing cooperation agreements or implementing the wildland fire regulatory program for the unit.

Develops and implements a wildland fire unit operations plan based on fire prevention, suppression, mitigation and preparedness program budget and deliverables, ensuring staff, resources, equipment and facilities are available and ready to meet regions and divisions operational plan;

Cooperates with interagency wildland fire partners in creating and maintaining suppression plans, including tactics, communication, command, and logistics; controls staffing and equipment to ensure efficient and effective use of landowner and general contingency funds;

Supports a training specialist with planning and developing annual fire training plans for unit employees;

Develops cooperation agreements with other agencies and makes recommendations for their approval by the department;

Coordinates and maintains the unit’s state owned equipment inventory system and makes recommendations to obtain and replace equipment; conducts federal excess property inventory with county fire districts; coordinates and maintains the region fire cache;

Participates in wildland fire suppression assignments;

Serves in a variety of positions from firefighter to incident commander; as an incident commander, analyzes and determines suppression action needed on Type 3, 4 and 5 wildland fires within the unit; develops and implements appropriate suppression response as required; ensures assignment of appropriate fire suppression resources to meet the operational plan; directs or oversees the progression of suppression work to extinguishment or until transition to another level of fire staff;

Reviews mobilization plan and wildland fire reports to ensure they are completed and distributed to appropriate region staff; reviews or authors initial incident reports, fire situation narratives, and follow up investigation reports for fire recovery billings;

Develops, assigns, and implements unit wildland fire prevention activities within the unit; coordinates projects and training with other agencies, fire districts, and fire prevention specialists; ensures unit participation in local events to promote fire safety awareness;

Implements the unit’s wildland fire regulatory program, including the issuance and compliance of burn permits to meet forest protection laws protecting air quality; ensures industrial fire tool inspections, IFPL waiver requests, and extreme fire hazards are dealt with in a timely manner;

Develops, assigns and implements the annual review of the Forest Fire Protection Assessment within the unit to determine applicability of applying the FFPA to a parcel of land; reviews appeals and educates landowners on the program;

Performs the duties of the lower levels in the series;

Performs other duties as required.

Knowledge of: fire behavior, suppression, resources, equipment, tools, methods and techniques; Incident Command System; accepted safety practices in suppressing fires; Forest fire regulations (e.g., Forest Protection Assessment and Outdoor Burning regulations); supervisory methods, personnel practices and procedures; National Wildfire Coordinating Group standards.

Ability to: evaluate and select appropriate level of command required for the safe, efficient and effective management of an incident; recognize changing environmental or situational conditions; make sound, timely decisions in stressful, fast-paced situations.

There may be instances where individual positions must have additional licenses or certification. It is the employer’s responsibility to ensure the appropriate licenses/certifications are obtained for each position.

Persons legally authorized to work in the U.S. under federal law, including Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipients, are eligible for employment unless prohibited by other state or federal law.

Six years of experience in wildland fire suppression and regulation, including at least four years of supervisory experience.


Two years as a Wildland Fire Management Specialist.

National Wildfire Coordinating Group qualified as a Division Supervisor and as an Incident Commander, Type 3.

Establishment, adopted 6/13/2019, effective 7/1/2019.
Add class series concept, adopted 11/10/2021, effective 1/1/2022.
Revised title, definition, distinguishing characteristics, typical work, knowledge and abilities, desirable qualifications, adopted June 22, 2023, effective July 1, 2023.

Revised Legal Requirements; effective June 6, 2024, due to adopted legislative action.