What follows is a general time line for finding your first wildland fire job.

October-November
This is the best time to start looking for your first fire job. As the fire season winds down, contact agencies where you would like to work. In the U.S., the Dept. of Agriculture Forest Service and the Dept. of Interior  Bureau of Land Management hire most of the seasonal firefighters. Other Dept. of Interior agencies, including the National Park Service, Fish and Wildlife Service, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and state agencies hire seasonal fire fighters. This is also the time to start your physical training (PT).

December-March
In these months, most applications for seasonal fire jobs become due. Start working on your application early, and check the job listings. For almost all federal jobs, you will apply with one of two forms: the Standard Form 171 (SF-171), or the Optional Form 612 (OF-612). These forms are available online, and from any employment office and most federal government offices.

TYPE YOUR APPLICATION. Period.  This is also the time to get serious about PT.

March-Season's start
Be patient and persistent. Keep up with your PT, and keep calling. There is always last-minute shuffling as the season begins; many fine careers have begun with a call two weeks before the season starts.