A Fire School in Utah's Uintah Basin Is Turning Locals into Wildland Firefighters

Hiring wildland firefighters in Utah's Uintah Basin has proven hard: it is a place that struggles to attract candidates. So in the fall and winter of 2022, fire staff from Dinosaur National Monument joined an interagency effort to grow their own, teaching a fire school at Uintah Basin Technical College (UB Tech) in Roosevelt and Vernal.

Students at the Uintah Basin Fall Fire School dig fire line on their field skills day. Credit: J. Logan, National Park Service.

Who ran it

The Uintah Basin Operation Committee coordinates and runs the school. Its instructors — from engine captains to dispatchers and fire management officers — came from across the interagency fire community:

• the National Park Service;
• the Bureau of Indian Affairs;
• the Bureau of Land Management;
• the U.S. Forest Service;
• the Utah Department of Natural Resources Division of Forestry, Fire, and State Lands.

UB Tech publicized the class, managed enrollment, and provided classrooms and IT support. The classes were affordable and open to anyone over 18.

Who came

• High school seniors and recent graduates.
• Adults looking for a career change.
• Members of local volunteer fire departments who wanted to strengthen their departments.
• Community members who wanted to understand wildland fire better.

By the end, students had completed the basic courses required for certification as a Type 2 Wildland Firefighter, and practiced those skills in the field.

What came of it

The school was expected to run again in the fall of 2023, with Dinosaur National Monument's fire staff coordinating the interagency effort. Beyond building a local pool of qualified people for entry-level jobs, it helps wildland fire be seen as a career option alongside welding, healthcare, IT and other trades.

Sources

Based on "Dinosaur National Monument partners with Uintah Basin Technical College to increase firefighter recruitment," National Park Service Wildland Fire Program, a work of the United States government in the public domain.