Forest Fire Equipment Operator pay range
State of North Carolina · class code 32000788
- Class code
- 32000788
- Pay group
- NC07
- Pay unit
- Year
- State
- North Carolina
- The State of North Carolina published pay range for Forest Fire Equipment Operator is $37,377 to $65,408 per year.
- North Carolina Office of State Human Resources (OSHR) keys this classification as class code 32000788.
- This is the range the plan authorises, not the salary of any individual employee.
Class specification
The OSHR class specification for this class is published by North Carolina Office of State Human Resources (OSHR). The passages below are quoted from it as published, not paraphrased, and cut to their opening sentences; the full specification is the authority on duties and qualifications. It was last revised 04/2022.
What the state says the job is
Work in this class involves the operation of fire suppression heavy equipment in order to control wildfires and perform prescribed burns. Positions operate crawler tractors and attach plow units and other heavy equipment to establish control lines around fires. Positions make independent determinations on the best course of action to fight a fire considering topography, fire behavior, fuels, weather, and other related factors. Work includes supervising a helper in controlling fires, winching out stuck equipment, setting backfires, and monitoring fire behavior. Positions also perform routine servicing, repairs, and general maintenance of all assigned equipment.
Knowledge, skills and abilities
Working knowledge of firefighting methods, tactics, and practices. Basic knowledge of map scales and symbology, and operational radio procedures. Basic knowledge of welding and the maintenance and repair of heavy equipment. Ability to operate various types of heavy equipment of moderate complexity. Ability to instruct and direct the work of helpers and other operators. Ability to perform strenuous work over extended periods and under adverse conditions.
Minimum qualifications
High school or General Equivalency Diploma (GED) and two years of heavy equipment operation experience.
Special requirements
Completion of NC FFEO training schedule within two years of hire. Possession of a current North Carolina Commercial Driver's License on hire date; OR possession of the North Carolina Commercial Driver Learner's Permit and obtain the NC Commercial Driver's License within 90 days of the hire date. Job applicants must pass a drug screening test and possess a Medical Examiner's Certification (Medical ...
Quoted from the OSHR class specification, read 2026-10-21.
Where this comes from
North Carolina Office of State Human Resources (OSHR) publishes this figure in OSHR salary schedules, joined to Class Specifications. Every number on this page is read from that document; nothing is estimated, modelled or averaged.
Job titles and their salary grades come from the Class Specifications, joined to the salary schedule.