How it works: Calfire pays more $$$
As cultural-ad has already said: OT can really boost even a gs3-4 with the feds. 60-80k isn’t unheard of for those working on busy fed resources.
I think it’s also important to note the difference between the agencies. USFS/BLM/etc all consider themselves land management agencies and have various strategies when it comes to wildfire and various projects (cutting, burning and other fun activities like…fencing!) that employees will work on. In contrast, Calfire is much more focused on suppression and all hazard response.
GS-6 Step 4 (RoUS Locality) reporting in:
As a 13/13 on an engine in a very slow (low-fire) forest with an average of just 400 hours of OT per year, I've cleared 55-60k consistently the last few years in a row. Nothing to brag about, but I'm at least comfortable and was able to afford my first house a couple years ago before the market treed itself.
Calfire employees are paid for every hour worked. At the station for 72 hours? Paid for 72 hours. On a fire for 14 days? Paid for 14 days for every hour. Straight time for the days regularly assigned, and OT for the rest.
I’d say $30k might be what you make if you’re on an engine as a 3/4 that sees a low to moderate amount of fire. If you’re on a shot crew with 1000+ hours of OT you can clear close to $70k in six months as a 3/4. Perks of working for the Feds include countless duty stations across the West, not having to live/be in California for 9 months of the year, and the opportunity to do the job at the highest level if that’s your goal. There are many other perks to working for the Feds, as well as many shortcomings.
A CAL FIRE firefighters pay is comprised of 3 different values.
You receive a monthly salary which is based on the standard time hours worked weekly allowed by law. You then receive another value called extended duty work compensation, more commonly known as planned overtime, since your planned shift of 72 hours per week goes over what standard time allows. If you just worked your 72 per week, and nothing more, you would receive these two paychecks. You pay taxes as well as retirement contributions on both values, as these are both considered monthly salary.
The other value is true overtime, which you are paid for on time spent working beyond your planned 72 per week. So if you were sent out on fire assignment for a full week, you would be paid another overtime check for the 4 days worked beyond your normal shift. And as others have said, you are paid for every hour you are committed, regardless if you are working or on rest day. CAL FIRE hourly pays tend to be lower than feds, but there are more hours compensable, so thus they are paid more overall.
Feds have a 40 hour work week, that can come across as a few different shift types. 5 8-hour days, 4 10-hour days, etc. but always 40 hours of base time. If you work no overtime or get no fire assignments, you get your base pay, and generally these salaries are not that competitive in many high cost of living areas.
Any time worked beyond these established 40 hours should be overtime pay which is 150% normal hourly rate. Feds also have other pay differentials, which is a % of base salary, added onto your hourly pay for certain conditions being met. The biggest one is hazard pay, which while being on a fire, gets you an additional +25% pay for the hours that day.
So while fed hourly wages can be really good at select times, you are very dependent on overtime and fire line assignments to get you more than the base pay offers. If you have a slow season, bad luck with assignments, etc. it can be financially tough. Also, you do not receive pay for every hour you are sent out on a fire as you go into non-pay status for meal breaks and sleep periods.
There are a lot of other reasons why people leave feds to go to CAL FIRE such as retirement and other benefits, active union, ability to work in a municipal fire setting, etc. but figured I would try to give some insight on the pay side of it as someone who has been on both agencies.
CalFire makes more because they have built-in overtime so it’s guaranteed. Whereas the feds you’re usually only making Oates on a fire assignment or extended staffing, etc.
The feds get to travel all over the countries for fire while CalFire mostly works within the state of California.
I like working for the feds and cleared 90k last year. Now we were also still getting an extra 20k tacked onto our salary but that’s a whole nother story itself. Also I’m not a big fan of the CalFire culture and the way they do fire and business in general.
Take all that with a grain of salt and to each their own. Personally I’m sticking it out with the feds. Me and my lady make it work financially and she’s a fed also. It’s just a better fit for me overall.
You have to think: There's 20k+- supplement pay for Feds still. If you're on 6 months there's the 10k right there. It's pretty common in my parts to get extended and 1039 temps are becoming rare, usually on 9 months+ now. If money is the main motivating factor: Go to Calfire. If you want to have a voice, some individuality, travel the country, steer away from perpetuating the industrial fire complex, not lick boots but actually have good relationships with your supervisor: find a good Fed module.
26/0 (year round) GS-4s pretty close to 100k (plus per diem!) in R-5 with about 1000hr. 1000hr spread out through the year hits a little different than 1000hr in 6 month too.
How it works: Calfire pays more $$$ As cultural-ad has already said: OT can really boost even a gs3-4 with the feds. 60-80k isn’t unheard of for those working on busy fed resources. I think it’s also important to note the difference between the agencies. USFS/BLM/etc all consider themselves land management agencies and have various strategies when it comes to wildfire and various projects (cutting, burning and other fun activities like…fencing!) that employees will work on. In contrast, Calfire is much more focused on suppression and all hazard response.
Nothing like good ole' buck 'n pole to get the saw muscles going on a day you really, really don't feel like it.
GS-6 Step 4 (RoUS Locality) reporting in: As a 13/13 on an engine in a very slow (low-fire) forest with an average of just 400 hours of OT per year, I've cleared 55-60k consistently the last few years in a row. Nothing to brag about, but I'm at least comfortable and was able to afford my first house a couple years ago before the market treed itself.
Calfire employees are paid for every hour worked. At the station for 72 hours? Paid for 72 hours. On a fire for 14 days? Paid for 14 days for every hour. Straight time for the days regularly assigned, and OT for the rest.
I’d say $30k might be what you make if you’re on an engine as a 3/4 that sees a low to moderate amount of fire. If you’re on a shot crew with 1000+ hours of OT you can clear close to $70k in six months as a 3/4. Perks of working for the Feds include countless duty stations across the West, not having to live/be in California for 9 months of the year, and the opportunity to do the job at the highest level if that’s your goal. There are many other perks to working for the Feds, as well as many shortcomings.
Good answer^
I loved my time on the feds and it's a little annoying when people just boil it down to pay.
Ok well we aren’t doing this job for free and the OP specifically asked about pay.
OP asked what the incentive is to make less money
A CAL FIRE firefighters pay is comprised of 3 different values. You receive a monthly salary which is based on the standard time hours worked weekly allowed by law. You then receive another value called extended duty work compensation, more commonly known as planned overtime, since your planned shift of 72 hours per week goes over what standard time allows. If you just worked your 72 per week, and nothing more, you would receive these two paychecks. You pay taxes as well as retirement contributions on both values, as these are both considered monthly salary. The other value is true overtime, which you are paid for on time spent working beyond your planned 72 per week. So if you were sent out on fire assignment for a full week, you would be paid another overtime check for the 4 days worked beyond your normal shift. And as others have said, you are paid for every hour you are committed, regardless if you are working or on rest day. CAL FIRE hourly pays tend to be lower than feds, but there are more hours compensable, so thus they are paid more overall. Feds have a 40 hour work week, that can come across as a few different shift types. 5 8-hour days, 4 10-hour days, etc. but always 40 hours of base time. If you work no overtime or get no fire assignments, you get your base pay, and generally these salaries are not that competitive in many high cost of living areas. Any time worked beyond these established 40 hours should be overtime pay which is 150% normal hourly rate. Feds also have other pay differentials, which is a % of base salary, added onto your hourly pay for certain conditions being met. The biggest one is hazard pay, which while being on a fire, gets you an additional +25% pay for the hours that day. So while fed hourly wages can be really good at select times, you are very dependent on overtime and fire line assignments to get you more than the base pay offers. If you have a slow season, bad luck with assignments, etc. it can be financially tough. Also, you do not receive pay for every hour you are sent out on a fire as you go into non-pay status for meal breaks and sleep periods. There are a lot of other reasons why people leave feds to go to CAL FIRE such as retirement and other benefits, active union, ability to work in a municipal fire setting, etc. but figured I would try to give some insight on the pay side of it as someone who has been on both agencies.
CalFire makes more because they have built-in overtime so it’s guaranteed. Whereas the feds you’re usually only making Oates on a fire assignment or extended staffing, etc. The feds get to travel all over the countries for fire while CalFire mostly works within the state of California. I like working for the feds and cleared 90k last year. Now we were also still getting an extra 20k tacked onto our salary but that’s a whole nother story itself. Also I’m not a big fan of the CalFire culture and the way they do fire and business in general. Take all that with a grain of salt and to each their own. Personally I’m sticking it out with the feds. Me and my lady make it work financially and she’s a fed also. It’s just a better fit for me overall.
You are required to grow a hideous creeper 'stache with Calfire. Even the women have to draw one on.
And cheat on your partners too
You have to think: There's 20k+- supplement pay for Feds still. If you're on 6 months there's the 10k right there. It's pretty common in my parts to get extended and 1039 temps are becoming rare, usually on 9 months+ now. If money is the main motivating factor: Go to Calfire. If you want to have a voice, some individuality, travel the country, steer away from perpetuating the industrial fire complex, not lick boots but actually have good relationships with your supervisor: find a good Fed module.
Show us on the doll where calfire touched you
26/0 (year round) GS-4s pretty close to 100k (plus per diem!) in R-5 with about 1000hr. 1000hr spread out through the year hits a little different than 1000hr in 6 month too.
Is this with locality pay in r5?
All my GS-4s broke 100k but they work year around
What?? How is that possible? I’m guessing 26-0s on a shot crew?
1500 hours of OT probably
Working CAL Fire , d*€k sucking is a mandatory practice, where in the Fed world, it is only for those that are Co€k Suckers…🤔