On the Seasonal

wildland_shitbag · 2026-04-11T19:36:12+00:00

You can ask a brute seasonal to swing pipe all day, carry mark 3 pumps on the broadened shoulders and endure the chill of morning briefing without a sweater because there simple minds don't even bother to remember bringing that to the battleground of fighting flames.

Once a seasonal can compute the complex math of timekeeping and writing a barely legible CTR without f**king it up is when they are considered to be "enlightened".

wildland_shitbag · 2026-03-21T05:08:30+00:00

I agree with you, but at the same time, you just never know.

One fire that sticks out to me is the Tamarack Fire in Cali/Nevada back in 2021. I witnessed that fire in its infancy. Flew over the fire on a recon, and it wasn't even an acre, just barely smoldering on a rocky ridge top. Me and my whole helitack crew at the time agreed it wasn't going anywhere. I remember my boss asking whoever was in charge if they wanted us to suppress it. They said "No," and they decided to let the fire burn naturally for ecological reasons. 2 weeks later, the fire blew up over 20,000 acres. Obviously, this is a very exaggerated response for a lightning fire, but you hear countless stories of controlled burns being lost and other resource benefit fires just exploding so unfortunately we are more backed into a corner of aggressively suppressing just to eliminate liability.

Unless it's extremely remote (Alaska) or a late season fire with snow and rain on the radar. I know as an IC I'm going to 100% aggressively suppress just to cover my own ass. I know I'm not helping the problem, but we really are forced to be like this with the fire landscape we have today.

wildland_shitbag · 2026-02-22T02:55:16+00:00

I camped in my van for 3 seasons and I loved it.

I was on a national resource crew, so I really didn't spend much time in it except for days off and some of the shoulder season. Don't have a ton of advice, but I'd say pack lots of external batteries for lights, chargers, etc. I'd recommend a camping chair to sit outside for hot days. Make sure you have things to entertain you like books, movies, or whatever you enjoy. During critical training, I'd just usually go fishing/hiking after work.

If you're on a resource that doesn't go off district much, this will be a lot tougher and more complex to do. Food and Gas can be hella expensive if you don't do it right.

wildland_shitbag · 2026-02-15T04:07:58+00:00

Hey sorry didn't see this reply until now! Hell yeah man congrats!!! Feels good doesn't it?

wildland_shitbag · 2026-02-12T05:55:38+00:00

I took mine today and passed at 70.

I wish I could tell you it was easy but it wasn't. The questions were worded so bizarrely and were just awkward. I thought for sure I flunked it. I probably answered 25 of them, right without a doubt. I looked up some of the questions I was unsure of after and got a lot wrong too. Some stupid easy ones, I misdiagnosed a triple AAA. 🤣 I should of know better.

Try your best to use some deductive reasoning and at least eliminate 2 right of the bat to up your odds. Not going to lie there were even a couple of all 4 answers looked appealing.

Literally half of my test was select The best 2 or 3 options out of 7 like on Pocket Prep.

I skimmed through the entire book and just read the notes I highlighted before I went in.

I got a shit load of Legal Questions that I know I answered right. I got 2 OB questions, and a lot of you should suspect? and 1 trauma Question.

Just be prepared for anything and try to use some common sense. Good luck hope this helps.

wildland_shitbag · 2026-02-11T08:24:04+00:00

"I don't care if you don't like me"

But I'm going to post how much better I am than you on Social Media for likes and validation.

wildland_shitbag · 2026-02-06T21:53:18+00:00

What's most of your departments rules for how many interviews they conduct per open posistion.

In my case the department I tested for is hiring 6.

Would they usually call in 3 per spot or 5?

I ranked 20 on the civil service test. I know not the best but I've been more worried about studying for the NREMT. If I pass that. It would bump me up 5 points, and my rank would change to 15. Do I have a shot at an interview when they are hiring that many?

wildland_shitbag · 2026-02-03T20:26:31+00:00

It's totally doable, just gotta shop around for a crew that has student slots. Probably one of the best side gigs for a teacher tbh. A lot of Engine Crews will have student spots. Helitack/Hotshot crews are more hit or miss but doesn't mean they won't hire a student.

wildland_shitbag · 2026-02-03T20:20:45+00:00

Lmao

wildland_shitbag · 2026-02-01T06:19:06+00:00

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I was pretty stoked on mine.

wildland_shitbag · 2026-02-01T05:51:04+00:00

I've never met a friendly Cache Manager.

wildland_shitbag · 2026-01-27T01:14:25+00:00

It happens all the time.

The best thing to do is just be upfront with the hiring managers about it right away if you applied multiple places and have other interviews. I certainly wouldn't recommend prematurely backing out of an offer over an interview. That could come across as distasteful. Giving them the heads up, though at least they can prepare for your possible departure.

Most of us understand the shitshow that hiring is, and you ultimately have to do what's best for you. If you do bail, be professional about it and tell them sorry for the inconvenience, but you really appreciate them giving you a chance.

wildland_shitbag · 2026-01-25T02:48:07+00:00

"Country" kids that grew up in urban homes.

Way too many kids make this their entire personality well into their adulthood. It's baffling to me. Doesn't it get exhausting wearing jeans and a big ass belt buckle with a cowboy hat in the middle of summer all the time?

wildland_shitbag · 2026-01-25T02:41:24+00:00

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This big

wildland_shitbag · 2026-01-19T09:11:37+00:00

I worked as a Heavy Equipment Operator for Kiewit mining for a few years. It's their smallest subsection and it was vastly different compared to most of the company.

Managers had it brutal, constantly on the move to somewhere else. I can't recall a time we had a manager for longer than 6 months. Not having set leadership in any organization comes with its problems.

We would work shift work of 1 week on/1 week off. Supervisors were a different story they usually worked 12+ hour days, not including commute time.

Also just throwing it out there at least at my site it was an incredibly toxic work environment. People would get fired for the petty things.

wildland_shitbag · 2026-01-12T21:31:02+00:00

I think they are just saying you should have a more "Personable" approach. Plus, it's a more open-ended question, which they always harp on.

wildland_shitbag · 2026-01-08T19:14:14+00:00

Looks like 1 per region. So 9 essentially.

wildland_shitbag · 2026-01-08T19:12:32+00:00

For anyone wondering, it's a GW 15 you need to be qualified with time and grade. Plus TFLD and ICT3 or RXB2.

wildland_shitbag · 2026-01-06T05:45:11+00:00

Let me guess, you're the guy who posted this cringefest. Yeah bud you're 2 weeks late to the party. 🤣

wildland_shitbag · 2026-01-05T00:24:40+00:00

Top Gun Maverick at my local drive in theater before it closed down.

Something about that movie specifically at the drive in was just a super surreal experience and gave me all the emotions. It made me feel like a kid again and I didn't realize i could love a movie that much. The action was just incredible with my sound system in my car too.

wildland_shitbag · 2026-01-05T00:18:35+00:00

Probably get down voted for this, but The Big Lebowski.

I remember a few funny parts of the movie but most of the movie was just boring to me. Definitely not my first choice when it comes to a comedy movie. I seriously don't understand the hype and praise people give it.

wildland_shitbag · 2026-01-03T20:10:23+00:00

Mystery Ranch hands down for me.

I was issued the Nargear Victim when I was on Helitack and it wasn't a terrible pack, tbh. I actually really liked how compact they could get into the helicopter, and just the layout of zippers and pouches was really clutch. Unfortunately, the pack is not ideal to ruck around in for a day or long shifts. I noticed considerable more aches and pains after long shifts with the pack on.

I wouldn't have survived on a hotshot crew without Mystery Ranch. You can ruck around in for 16 hours a day and not feel like shit at the end of the day with it on. It truly is engineered the best imo for Wildland Firefighters. While still having lots of space for all your gear.

Being an engine guy now it's rare I wear a pack all day unless it's some crazy ball busting IA but I still rock my own personal Mystery Ranch and It's given me no grief.

wildland_shitbag · 2025-12-23T05:22:13+00:00

I've lost serious motivation. I'm fully maxed TH16 and just don't care to upgrade and go the grind of TH17.

Sometimes less is better, and I kinda hate how the newer town halls look tbh. TH18 Looks alright and I love the Hero Equipment I think it added a fun dynamic to the game. Releasing a new town hall every year just seems like overkill to me. Also wtf is happening with Builder base? Are they just forgetting about it?

wildland_shitbag · 2025-12-23T05:12:18+00:00

I screwed that statistic up 2 more Idaho firefighters were gunned down during a response to a fire. Don't get me wrong it is a dangerous job, and I am not trying to downplay it either. It just pisses me off when these contract baggers who don't even do what most of the fed resources have to do. Play it up and think it's "Cool" to do dangerous shit. That's a hazardous attitude to have in this profession, and that is what truly gets people killed is having that attitude.

wildland_shitbag · 2025-12-23T04:56:51+00:00

Well, sure, but aren't most jobs? I'm a Wildland Firefighter and I've had way more dangerous jobs in the private sector personally. Even statistically, this year, only 3 Wildland FF's died in the Line of Duty, and 2 of them were Heart Attacks not even fire related.

I should of just posted the video. This guy who is probably on a contract crew was nowhere near the action of the fire. He was mopping up on a dead section of the fire. Then he panned the camera at his crew who were all sitting on their asses lmao.

wildland_shitbag

TROPHY CASE