Smoke Jumper Salary

• The U.S. Forest Service states that smoke jumpers in their fire and aviation management division are federal employees who start their careers at the GS-5 grade level, earning $14.23 per hour. Smoke jumpers with more experience can earn $16.00 per hour, and those who work as smoke jumper supervisors can earn as much as $24.00 per hour. While many wildfire fighters seek work as smoke jumpers, the Forestry Service states that career opportunities are not widely available. Moreover, smoke jumping is generally a temporary or seasonal position that firefighters work during the summer months. Generally, only supervisors work as full-time smoke jumpers throughout the year, providing administrative and training services.
  
  

Hazard Pay

• According to the Forestry Service, smoke jumpers do not earn extra wages for making parachute jumps. Instead, because of the dangerous nature of smoke jumping, they earn hazard-duty pay per the Forest Service's pay guidelines. Hazard pay equals 25 percent of a smoke jumper's base salary, but they only receive this while working on taming a wildfire.
  
  

Benefits

• While working as a smoke jumper, a fire fighter retains the benefits provided to him by his home station. These benefits vary by city and a fire fighter's status as a full-time employee. Full-time firefighters generally have the same comprehensive benefits packages as city employees. The Forest Service states that some volunteer firefighters may also serve as smoke jumpers. In this case, the Forest Service would pay for the medical attention needed for firefighting-related injuries and provide life insurance in the event of a fatality while working as a smoke jumper
  
  

Allowances

• The Forest Service states that they do not provide smoke jumpers with meals, so individuals must bring their own food. However, if a smoker serves on a project or wildfire that is away from her home base, the Forest Service provides her with a subsistence allowance. Some bases provide smoke jumpers with dormitories, or a firefighter can choose to have the cost of rent deducted from her paycheck. While the Forest Service provides most of the protective gear a smoke jumper needs, she must provide her own work boots, knife and watch.