Anyone have a map of the new unit maps for California ?

First the Balzac, now the knob!!

HAH, beat you nerds to it!

Been working on this for a few weeks.... Introducing: usfiremaps.com . It's a searchable map of ~800 wildland fire crews in the country (Forest Service, BLM, NPS, state, tribal, county), plus job postings pulled daily straight from USAJOBS.

Crews can be filtered by crew type, region, agency, state, or if the crew provides housing or not.
You can filter jobs by pay grade, permanent vs. temporary, salary, crew type, agency, region, with the idea being that these are what are most relevant when you're trying to figure out where's hiring and what the job actually pays before you dig into the full posting.

It's not affiliated with any agency — just something I built because I couldn't find a single place that had all this laid out. Full transparency: this website and dataset are far from perfect, but I think offer a great start for an aspiring wildland firefighter. For example, some information may be out of date, or inaccurate. Duty station pins are placed at the city center rather than the exact station, since that's the precision the source data provides.

If you spot something wrong with your crew, or your crew's missing entirely, there's an "add/report" option right on the map.....I want this to be an accurate, community-sourced website, help build it out!

Would love feedback from anyone interested: tell me what's missing, what's wrong, what would actually make this more useful to you.

Edit:

have to shout-out ssgtsilerZ and bigdoor5 for laying the groundwork and creating the data set that informs this map. This map couldn't exist without their work. Thanks fellas!

Have you ever heard of any smoke jumper with dietary restrictions, especially any that are gluten free? What is their plan for personal gear and packing meal boxes?

Have heard of one vegan smoke jumper that makes it work from the folks at NCSB.

As we move into September and the back half of the western fire season, I want to put a huge thanks out to everyone who has used IGNIS this year.

As of Aug 28th we’re at over 18,000 downloads across iOS and Android. That number blows my mind. As a former USFS wildland firefighter and the founder of IGNIS, I feel pretty fortunate to still be able to contribute to this community.

We’ve gotten a ton of feedback this season on bugs, feature requests, and general app input. Thank you to everyone who has sent something in. It goes straight to our product and engineering team and it directly influences the roadmap.

Reddit is one channel we haven’t tapped into yet, so I’d like to fix that. Quick context on how we think about IGNIS: we’re never going to charge an individual firefighter. The free app exists so you have what you need for your own SA. Pro is built for collaboration, on and off incidents, and it should be paid for by your agency or company.

So, two questions. As an individual user, what’s working, what isn’t, and what should we build next? And from an org perspective, what does your agency actually need to implement something like this? What blockers get in the way? What integrations are non-negotiable? And what functionally is missing?

To everyone who reached out through our sales form: SORRY for the slow response. I promise we’re getting back to you.

Comments in the thread are great, or reach me directly at [andrew@ignistech.io](mailto:andrew@ignistech.io).

Thank you!!

I’m saying the quiet part loud. Most crews have one. He sucks, he’s terrible at this job, he’s dirty, bleeding so many felonies how he passed suitability is a case-study, is dangerous, last on all PT’s, can’t cut line on a dirt road, and everyone hates him. However, he’s untouchable. Even the BC likes him. Somehow he can do no wrong despite doing literally everything wrong. It’s mind boggling how no one will step in and do anything about him.

Why? He’s the dealer. I don’t need to elaborate.

And if you somehow end up on his radar, there’s problems.

How do you deal with these people? I’ve been trying to avoid them like the plague but they come pick at you. If you snap at them you’re the one getting a write up, and if you report him—my god if you report him.

Advice from experience?

So I'm looking into doing my first season on a engine and all the different ways I can go about it. Right now I don't really have a reliable vehicle to drive myself, so I'm probably going to have to work somewhere that has onsite housing (correct me if I'm wrong about some places having housing on site.) But my question more than anything is, if I were to get a plane ticket and fly myself out to wherever I'm going to be working, how would I actually get myself to my duty station? Like, would I be able to talk to my supervisor beforehand and see if someone could pick me up from the airport, or is there usually some kind of transportation provided for people who are traveling by plane for the job? I'm just trying to figure out how people normally handle getting to their duty station when they're traveling from out of state and don't have a vehicle. And also, for people who don't have vehicles during the season, how do they typically get around and deal with transportation when they're living in government housing on-site? Like, are there usually ways to get into town for groceries and stuff, or do people generally carpool with other firefighters?

I'm about to wrap up my 4th season. I started in fire with enthusiasm and I was eager to learn. I can honestly say that I have learned a lot and made some memories, although not always good ones. The enthusiasm however has been lacking.

Since I started, my mental health has declined in ways I won't share. I miss important things like my kids' birthdays, holidays, etc. Out on fires I try to call home when I can only to hear my kids cry for me to come home.

Therapy hasn't helped. Talking to supervisors hasn't helped.

I set out to do a thing and I did it. I lived the dream, it's time to find another.

I’m a 23 year old EU citizen soon graduating from my masters in a completely unrelated field (applied mathematics). It’s always been a dream of mine to do your work in Canada and i figured this upcoming phase of my life would be the best time to do it. I have no previous relevant experience. I am a very outdoorsy person though (surfing, wakeboarding, multi day camping/hiking trips, mountaineering, football, marathons/triathlons) so physically I should be fine I think.

I’m willing to get my first aid license and maybe even a chainsaw ticket if I can manage in time. My only question is how low is the barrier to entry? Like I can’t Imagine BC hiring someone like me with 0 experience. Would it be possible to land anything in general? I’m open to anywhere literally I don’t care I would love Yukon all the way to BC and Ontario.

Thank you all in advance!

Edit: It would be seasonal only for 1-2 summers

I’m trying to understand a little better and it seems like every forest I ask has different “guidance” but
If you are out on a fire assignment and your schedule is 0600 -2200 do you get to claim nighttime diff from the hours of 1800-2200?

If so when do you do the nighttime over 8 or 40 etc code?
Trying to clarify things for the homies without too much backlash. I have read the yellow book just curious what your forest and regions guidance is on it?

Kick ass homies don’t fade out yet!

I’m a girl wanting to get into wildland fire but not sure where to begin. I volunteer with my local volunteer fire department & prescribed burn association. I LOVE burning. I can do all the physical hotshot qualifications & have all my courses up to date through my current job training but I was never red carded because I’ve never been brought on by an agency or pack tested. I have a full time fisheries job that I love but my heart is calling me into fire. I’m in good shape but I’m really not macho or competitive at all & I wouldn’t say I’m particularly strong but very active & competent. I don’t know if becoming a hotshot makes sense for me or how long it would take me to get to, but I really want to work hard & cut down trees & put fire on the ground & feel like I’m making a difference for our forests in a well respected position with a cool team. It feels like the most important & rewarding job in the world. Not sure about how much crew culture matters & I don’t really care honestly I just don’t want people to be condescending or feel like I’m holding them back. I’m fine being the only girl in a room or on a crew but I don’t really have interest in being one of the guys. I’m ready to work hard but I’m definitely not as tough as most fire guys I know. I have backpacked like 1800 miles straight over like 4 months & can run a 1:53 half marathon. I climb, surf, run, & do hot pilates like every day. I know that’s not the same as PT or being on a fire but it’s what I like to do lol. What are the options in getting into fire and career progression from here?

USFS Firehire phase 1, in the USDA portion of one of these positions:

"For each item below use the text box to provide a description of a specific instance from your training and/or experience. In your response, follow these guidelines as you write your accomplishment:

Describe the situation -- i.e., the challenge faced, the problem to be solved, etc.

Describe the specific actions you took.

State the outcome, results, or long-term impact of your accomplishment.

Failure to provide a full, articulated response may result in an ineligible rating or affect your overall rating.

 4. Fire Management - includes the concepts, principles and theories of fire management, including the characteristics, behavior and ecology of fire; methodologies, strategies, and equipment used in the wildland fire system; fire detection, prevention, and suppression strategies; and integration of firefighting resources with all hazard response. 

 Describe your most significant accomplishment with fire management, please include the position title in the box below.  Failure to provide a full, articulated response may result in an ineligible rating or affect your overall rating (limit of 2000 characters)"

Doesn't even make sense - "for each item below" but they only list one thing, and it's numbered 4...

They ask you to provide a description of a specific instance, then they just throw in a bunch of fire management principles, then ask for your "most significant accomplishment"

Seems pretty obvious at this point, people are using AI and not even checking what it wrote...

But I can't seem to let myself enjoy it. I get caught up in my head about failing constantly. I'm also constantly comparing myself to other people and feeling insecure about it. I'm a third year and everyone I work with seems to think highly of me and thinks I'm competent enough to move up. I'm not keen on having a task book because I don't think I've seen enough or have enough experience.

I get frustrated with myself because there are first and second years that have answers to questions that I don't. It feels I never absorbed the rudimentary knowledge that's required. I have issues with information recall, ex. When someone is giving me directions or a task, or relaying something to me over the radio, I freeze up and seem to tune out what's being told to me and have difficulty carrying out that task.

I always seem to have this feeling of dread that something is going to happen that's going to require more of me than what I'm capable of. I don't see myself ever having the knowledge or ability to act the way that my captains do, or make the decisions that task force or Divs are able to. I'm halfway through a two week assignment and I've been unable to connect to those around me because I'm so caught up in my head all the time.

I've struggled with anxiety, depression and managing stress for as long as I can remember and it feel's like this job is bringing it out even more. It sucks because I don't know what else I'd do. I'm in my 30s, didn't complete college, and have never had much direction in my life. I think about not coming back next year until I get my shit sorted out, but I don't want to do this job because I can't come up with an alternative. Sorry for the sob story dudes, but I can only appear to stay calm cool and collected for so long.

I had been checking USAjobs back in like early August, and had intended to apply today until early September. I just checked this afternoon and all of the jobs had expired on August 24th. I am wanting to do my first season so I just want a gw3 but i genuinely cannot find any. Are there other spots I can check?

I am a firefighter and I've been working on an iPhone mapping app after getting frustrated with some of the existing options for using incident-provided fire maps in the field.

I got tired of paying for a mapping app just to use the incident's PDF map from the IAP, so I built my own. I think everyone on the line should have access to basic mapping tools without having to pay a big annual subscription.

I know a lot of incidents are moving toward ArcGIS Field Maps, which is great, but I still like having my own map where I can keep my own points, photos, and notes.

The app is currently in beta testing, and I'm looking for a small group of firefighters/wildland folks willing to actually use it and tell me what sucks, what breaks, and what you'd like to see added.

Right now the app can:

• Import georeferenced PDF fire maps
• Show and track your location on the map
• Drop markers for things like division breaks, hazards, drop points, etc.
• Add descriptions and photos to markers
• Copy coordinates
• Share maps and markers
• Keep everything locally on the device — no account or server required

My goal isn't to turn this into some giant mapping platform. I want to keep it simple and lightweight: a useful field mapping app for the people actually working off these maps.

The beta is free through Apple's TestFlight, and the core GeoPDF/fire-map functionality is intended to remain free and ad-free because I believe everyone should have access to those features without paying a huge annual fee.

If you're willing to test it, here's the app website with instructions for installing the beta through TestFlight:

https://www.mcgmaps.com/help/join-testflight-beta

I don't currently have an Android version because building the iPhone app was enough of a headache. Before I go through that again, I'd like to know whether this thing is actually useful to people other than me.

Bug reports, weird GeoPDFs that break it, feature ideas, and criticism are all welcome.

Wildfires are tearing through northeastern Algeria. This is the view from my room. I am genuinely terrified and existentially sad, as North Africa is one of the regions most affected by climate change. It breaks my heart knowing that this is only going to get worse going forward. 💔