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Entry Level Fire Tower Watch information

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$15

$22

$29

How much do entry level fire tower watch jobs pay per hour?

As of Jul 23, 2026, the average hourly pay for entry level fire tower watch in the United States is $22.48, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $19.47 and $24.76 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is the difference between Entry Level Fire Tower Watch vs Entry Level Forest Ranger?

AspectEntry Level Fire Tower WatchEntry Level Forest Ranger
Required CertificationsFire safety, basic first aidWildlife management, first aid
Work EnvironmentFire towers, remote outdoor areasForests, parks, outdoor settings
Employer & Industry UsageForestry services, fire prevention agenciesNational parks, forestry departments
Search & Comparison IntentUnderstanding fire watch rolesWildlife and forest management roles

Entry Level Fire Tower Watch and Entry Level Forest Ranger roles both involve outdoor work in forested environments. While fire tower watchers focus on fire detection and prevention, forest rangers have broader responsibilities including conservation and public safety. Both positions require outdoor skills and basic certifications, but their primary duties and work settings differ slightly.

How much do Firewatch lookouts get paid?

Firewatch lookouts typically earn between $12 and $20 per hour, depending on experience, location, and the agency they work for. Salaries can also include benefits such as housing or stipends, and the job often requires seasonal or temporary work with a focus on observation skills and safety protocols.

How do I get a job at a fire lookout tower?

To get a job as a fire lookout tower observer, applicants typically need to be at least 18 years old, pass a background check, and have good communication and observation skills. Relevant experience in forestry, outdoor work, or previous lookout positions can be beneficial, and some roles require certification in first aid or firefighting. Applying through government agencies or park services that manage fire towers is the standard process.

How to become a fire watcher with no experience?

Entry level fire tower watch positions typically require a high school diploma or equivalent and physical fitness for outdoor work. Prior experience is not always necessary, but knowledge of fire behavior, basic navigation skills, and the ability to work alone are beneficial; some employers may provide on-the-job training or require certifications such as wildfire safety courses.

What jobs pay 4000 a week without a degree?

Entry level fire tower watch jobs typically do not pay $4,000 a week; they usually offer modest seasonal wages. High-paying jobs that can reach this level without a degree often involve specialized skills, such as commercial fishing, certain construction trades, or sales roles with commissions, but these are less common and may require experience or certifications. Most jobs paying this amount without a degree are in high-risk or high-demand industries and often involve significant physical work or entrepreneurial effort.
More about Entry Level Fire Tower Watch jobs
What cities are hiring for Entry Level Fire Tower Watch jobs? Cities with the most Entry Level Fire Tower Watch job openings:
What are the most commonly searched types of Fire Tower Watch jobs? The most popular types of Fire Tower Watch jobs are:
What states have the most Entry Level Fire Tower Watch jobs? States with the most job openings for Entry Level Fire Tower Watch jobs include:
What job categories do people searching Entry Level Fire Tower Watch jobs look for? The top searched job categories for Entry Level Fire Tower Watch jobs are:
Entry Level Fire Tower Watch jobs near you
Infographic showing various Entry Level Fire Tower Watch job openings in the United States as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 87% Full Time, 10% Part Time, 1% Temporary, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 96% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 3% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $46,753 per year, or $22.5 per hour.
Air Traffic Control Specialist

Air Traffic Control Specialist

Robinson Aviation

Burns Flat, OK • On-site

$37.58/hr

Full-time

Posted 19 days ago

Job description


Summary
Responsible for the safe, orderly, and expeditious flow of air traffic control duties in a Visual Flight Rules (VFR) Air Traffic Control Tower.

Dimensions of Position
Works under the general supervision of the Tower Manager who relies on the incumbent to perform established duties independently. On new or revised procedures, the manager gives detailed instructions and observes, and checks work during or immediately after completion according to complexity of the task or until satisfied the incumbent can perform it independently.

Accountability

1. Makes decisions involving:

  • The order of departures that will assure all aircraft equitable treatment and will assure that departing IFR flights operate at the fix, altitude, and the time designated by the center or approach control clearances.
  • The times and direction of takeoff and any turns necessary for departure.
  • Whether inbound aircraft are to land immediately or circle and whether distances are lengthened to control the arrival of an aircraft at a given point.
  • The active runway and possible simultaneous use of other runways.
  • The time and methods by which arrivals and departures can be interspersed with the least delay to traffic.
  • When landing and departing aircraft are cleared to use the runways to assure standard separation between aircraft on the runways.
  • The sequence of arriving traffic, before it enters the traffic pattern, to assure a safe, orderly flow of aircraft on final approach to the landing runway.
  • That IFR separation standards are applied, as delegated by approach control of the center, in limited areas around the airport to provide initial separation between

IFR arrivals and IFR departures and between successive IFR departures.

  • The sequence of VFR and IFR traffic, using radar equipment as an aid and, when delegated, separating IFR traffic.
  • When VFR flights through the airport traffic area can be authorized.

2. Determines the usability of communications frequencies available to him/her as other navigational aids used to control air traffic. Monitors navigational aids and monitors control panels, including BRITE display to determine acceptability of its alignment and display presentation. Instructs pilots to change radio frequencies/radar beacon codes.

3. When appropriate, coordinates with the other controllers on movements of both arrival and departure aircraft.

4. When traffic conditions warrant, controllers in non-approach terminals are responsible for:

  • Preplanning traffic sequencing and separation over an area which may reach out to a radius of 5 miles or more.
  • Preplanning and setting up check points required to ensure the maintenance of necessary traffic separation.
  • Maintaining a continuous mental picture and evaluation of a constantly changing traffic complex frequency dispersed over an equivalent geographic area.
  • Maintaining continuous radio watch with aircraft which have previously contacted the facility.
  • Accepting responsibility to handle IFR traffic at his/her airport.

5. Studies weather bureau reports and forecasts, obtains LAWRS/SAWRS weather certification, observes weather from the tower and records pilot reports to determine the effect of present and anticipated weather on traffic; furnishes aircraft with information such as field conditions, altimeter settings, weather conditions, operating status of navigational aids, and observed malfunctioning of aircraft, forwards to the weather bureau and the appropriate center, pilot weather reports and reports based upon personal observation of weather conditions; operates light guns, runway lights, field lighting, jet barriers etc.

6. Orients pilots of aircraft lost or in difficulty; determines whether a given situation may operations offices, airport management offices, and fire and ambulance services.

7. Performs lower grade level duties as necessary to meet operational requirements and for proficiency maintenance.

8. Provides OJT training to others.

Requirements

Individual must have a CTO Certificate and a current Class II Medical Certificate. Position is subject to drug and/or alcohol testing per the DOT/FAA requirements (pre-employment, random, reasonable cause/suspicion, post-accident). Individual must have held a Control Tower Operator Certificate (CTO) with a facility rating or have held an FAA Credential with a tower rating, for a minimum of six months in an Air Traffic Control Tower.

Pay: $37.58 Per Hour


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