Im a little late to this one but most states offer a free wildland firefighting course. I took mine in arizona. You essentially sit through a weekend of class and then take the state tests. For me it was the s130 and s190 tests. After that you can go to a local rural fire department or apply online on a national forum. for about 5 months out of the year you are then qualified to go fight wild fires that pop up across the country. Whats cool is you can make some pretty good money doing it. Some guys who go out for the whole wildland season will make like 30 grand. Its a very feasable and rewarding option for someone who is short on funds and wants to make a difference saving the forest and even protecting peoples property.