Also called: Fire Ecologist, Fire Behavior Analyst (FBAN), Fire Modeler
Studies how wildfires start, spread, and affect ecosystems, and predicts what an active fire will do next.
On a big fire, you run computer models with wind, fuel, and terrain data and tell commanders where the fire will be tomorrow. In research season, you might set up sensors in a prescribed burn or study how forests recover from fire.
Estimate; private wildfire-risk firms (insurance, utilities) pay more.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Doctorate (PhD), about 9 years after high school. Research roles need a PhD in fire ecology, forestry, or atmospheric science; fire behavior analysts are often experienced firefighters with special training.
Ways in: 4-year college, Graduate school, On-the-job training. Training cost: $15k – $60k.
Majors to look at: Fire Ecology, Forestry, Atmospheric Science, Geography.
Growing much faster than average. Utilities and insurers are hiring wildfire risk experts.
Low risk for 10 years. AI fire models and satellites speed predictions; field burns, research design and advising incident teams stay human.
Classes: Earth science, AP Statistics, Chemistry, Computer science.
Official data: O*NET occupation 19-1031.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.