How to become a forest fire inspector and prevention specialist
Official title: Forest fire inspector and prevention specialist
Also called: Forest fire protection specialist, Wildfire specialist, Specialist adviser wildfire, Forest and rural fire management advisor
Forest fire inspectors and prevention specialists enforce fire regulations, inspect forests for fire hazards and recommend prevention measures.
Main tasks
- Enforce fire regulations
- Inspect forests for fire hazards
- Recommend fire prevention measures
- Educate people about fire safety
- Coordinate wildfire responses
- Assess fire behaviour and characteristics
- Plan controlled burns
- Train people to fight wildfires
How to become one
You usually need experience to become a forest fire and prevention specialist and a qualification may be useful. You usually need NCEA Level 3 or University Entrance to do the study or training for this job. Required: a driver licence; to pass a police check; to pass a medical assessment and fitness test. Other requirements: experience in similar work; to complete firefighting training courses and exams; a New Zealand Diploma in Forest Management (Level 6); a Bachelor of Forestry Science or similar.
Ways in
- Certificates and diplomas: Advanced certificates and diplomas in forestry. TEC links this job to study in forestry studies. Qualifications: NZ Dip in Forest Management. Usually 2 years.
Pay · Past change
- Most common pay: $60,000 to $107,000 a year (median $80,000), a TEC estimate before tax.
- Upper: $133,000 a year
- TEC's pay figures are estimates only. TEC says they must not be used to set pay, in pay negotiations or in visa applications.
- Change in the number of people doing this job between the 2018 and 2023 Censuses: Increase (TEC). This is past change, not a forecast.
Who does this work
- About 54 people did this job at the 2023 Census (TEC).
Related jobs
- Emergency management adviser
- Forensic specialist
- Fire investigator
- Emergency dispatcher
- Air force aviator
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Questions people ask
How do I become a forest fire inspector and prevention specialist?
You usually need experience to become a forest fire and prevention specialist and a qualification may be useful. You usually need NCEA Level 3 or University Entrance to do the study or training for this job. Required: a driver licence; to pass a police check; to pass a medical assessment and fitness test. Other requirements: experience in similar work; to complete firefighting training courses and exams; a New Zealand Diploma in Forest Management (Level 6); a Bachelor of Forestry Science or similar.
How much does a forest fire inspector and prevention specialist earn in New Zealand?
The Tertiary Education Commission estimates median pay at $80,000 a year, before tax. Most common pay is $60,000 to $107,000 a year.
Has the number of people working as a forest fire inspector and prevention specialist grown in New Zealand?
It has grown: TEC records an increase in the number of people doing this job between the 2018 and 2023 Censuses. This is past change, not a forecast.
Sources
- Tertiary Education Commission (Tahatu Career Navigator): Tahatu career ideas: descriptions, tasks, pay estimates, people employed, employment change 2018 to 2023, entry requirements, registration, interest scores (Site scrape 2026-10 (816 career ideas, sitemap lastmod 2026-10-01)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 4 October 2026
This content is sourced from the Tertiary Education Commission through the Tahatū Career Navigator website (www.tahatu.govt.nz) and used under the CC BY 4.0 licence. All or some of the information has been modified by Peernovo. TEC has not approved, endorsed or tested these modifications. TEC will not be held accountable for any errors within this content.
Qualification information from NZQA, used under CC BY 3.0 NZ.
This work is based on/includes Stats NZ's data which are licensed by Stats NZ for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. Census data via Figure.NZ.
Includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.
Sources: Tertiary Education Commission, Tahatū Career Navigator (career ideas, pay estimates, entry requirements and study options, CC BY 4.0, modified by Peernovo); Stats NZ, 2023 Census (via Figure.NZ) and the National Occupation List (CC BY 4.0); NZQA qualification information (CC BY 3.0 NZ); O*NET interest scores (CC BY 4.0); ILO global generative AI exposure index (CC BY 4.0). Links between career ideas and ANZSCO groups, degree fields and broad job groups are Peernovo's.
These results are not official statistics. They have been created for research purposes from the Integrated Data Infrastructure (IDI), which is carefully managed by Stats NZ.
Graduate outcomes: these results are not official statistics. They have been created for research purposes from the Integrated Data Infrastructure (IDI), which is carefully managed by Stats NZ.
Updated 4 October 2026