The Cariboo Fire Centre is now accepting applications for wildland firefighter and dispatcher positions with the BC Wildfire Service for the 2021 fire season.
Online applications for wildland firefighter positions can be submitted through the BC Wildfire Service website until Jan. 10, 2021. Dispatcher applications will be accepted until Jan. 17, 2021.
Wildland firefighter
The Cariboo Fire Centre is looking for new recruits to fill wildland firefighter positions throughout the province, including in Williams Lake, Quesnel, 100 Mile House and Alexis Creek. Provincially, 150 to 200 positions will be available.
Applicants who successfully pass the screening phase will be invited to attend a virtual interview between Jan. 25 and Feb. 5, 2021.
The initial interview process will not include a fitness assessment. If successful in the interview phase, applicants will be asked to complete the WFX-Fit test when they arrive at New Recruit Boot Camp. This test is a pass/fail assessment, there is only one opportunity to pass the test. Failing to pass this test will result in removal from our recruitment process for the 2021 fire season, but applicants can try again the following year.
New firefighter recruits typically start work in early May and finish work at the end of September. They may also be offered an opportunity to work into the fall, depending on wildfire conditions and activity. (Students are able to end their terms early so they can return to school.)
After new recruits successfully complete their first fire season, they are eligible for recall rights and will have a job with a four-month to eight-month term. If there is available work, this could lead to a year-round job with the BC Wildfire Service, allowing many people to pursue firefighting as a career.
Firefighting is a unique job. It’s a great opportunity for people who are interested in challenging themselves mentally and physically, seeing some of the most spectacular locations in the province, and working with a great group of dedicated people who are passionate about what they do. During the winter, firefighters can spend time pursuing other activities such as attending school or travelling.
To learn more about the application process, get details about required and preferred qualifications, and complete the online application process, visit www.gov.bc.ca/wildfirejobs
Dispatcher
The Cariboo Fire Centre is establishing an eligibility list to fill potential dispatcher vacancies with the BC Wildfire Service in Williams Lake.
Applicants who successfully pass the screening phase will be invited to attend a virtual interview, a typing test and practical exam. For the Cariboo Fire Centre, interviews will be held in February 2021.
Dispatchers are employed at each of the province’s six fire centres. They provide the communication link between wildfire coordination centres and aircraft and personnel in the field to implement pre-approved fire control decisions. Dispatchers must be able to stay calm and focused in emergency situations, know how to multitask effectively, have good written and verbal communication skills, be team players, and be willing to work extended periods with during the summer.
A virtual information session will be hosted by the Cariboo Fire Centre on Dec. 16, 2020, from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., for anyone interested in learning more about job opportunities in the Cariboo Fire Centre. People who are interested in attending should send an email to BCWS.CaFCRecruitment@gov.bc.ca
Another avenue that we would like to highlight is the Indigenous Applicant Advisory Service. This is a new service available to Indigenous applicants (First Nations, Metis or Inuit) seeking to work with the BC Public Service. The intentions are to increase representation of Indigenous people in the BC Public Service that better reflects the diverse population we serve by offering a service that provides advice and guidance on the hiring process and informs improvements. You can go to the website, call 778-696-1336 or email IndigenousApplicants@gov.bc.ca
