The Maine Forest Service is the state's forestry bureau within the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, headquartered on the state government campus in Augusta and led by the State Forester. It is organized into three divisions — Forest Protection, Forest Health and Monitoring, and Forest Policy and Management — and is responsible for the education, prevention, detection, and suppression of forest fires statewide, across roughly 17.5 million acres of woodland.

Wildland firefighting is the work of the Forest Protection Division. Its commissioned Maine Forest Rangers operate from three regional headquarters — Bolton Hill in Augusta (southern region), Old Town (central), and Ashland (northern). By statute the division employs 45 to 50 Forest Ranger IIs, plus at least 16 rangers in other classifications including Regional Forest Rangers, District Forest Rangers, and Forest Ranger Pilots. The role is a dual one: rangers are wildfire control specialists with final on-site authority over wildfire suppression, and forestry law enforcement officers.

The division runs its own aviation program — during the high fire danger of August 2025 it maintained daily helitack coverage with staffed helicopter operations. Maine's wildfire program was reshaped by the catastrophic October 1947 fires, which wiped out nine communities in a single week; today the service holds losses to roughly 400 acres in a typical year, and through mid-August 2025 it had recorded 525 wildfires burning about 406 acres.

How to get hired

Forest Ranger recruitments open periodically rather than continuously, posted statewide through the State of Maine's application system; candidates can call the division at (207) 287-4990 to be added to a recruitment notification list. Selection is run jointly by the Bureau of Human Resources and the Forest Protection Division, and the agency describes it as extensive and time-consuming: candidates must pass the Maine Criminal Justice Academy's ALERT exam and physical fitness test before their application is even accepted, then clear an oral board, polygraph, background investigation, psychological exam, and a final interview with the Chief Forest Ranger. Those who pass every phase are placed on a statewide hiring register that stays valid for 18 months. The winter 2025-26 Forest Ranger II posting advertised $28.08-$38.32 per hour at Grade 21.

Requirements

Associate degree in forestry, fire science, criminal justice, emergency management, or a natural science — or any degree including 15 hours of natural sciences, or an equivalent two-year combination of related education, training, and experience
At least 21 years old by appointment to the Maine Criminal Justice Academy (20 with an associate degree or 60 credit hours of post-secondary education)
Pass the Maine Criminal Justice Academy ALERT reading and writing examination
Pass the Maine Criminal Justice Academy physical fitness test within the past two years
No criminal record and no extensive motor vehicle record
Valid Maine Class C motor vehicle operator's license, or the ability to obtain one
Willing to locate anywhere within the State of Maine

Hiring process

Submit a State of Maine Direct Hire application with a detailed resume, cover letter, college transcripts, and proof of passing the MCJA ALERT exam and physical fitness test
Application screening, then complete and return an integrity questionnaire
Structured oral board before a panel of Maine Forest Rangers, including a five-minute presentation
Conditional offer of employment, then pre-polygraph interview and polygraph examination
Background investigation and law enforcement psychological examination
Interview with the Chief Forest Ranger, then placement on the division's statewide hiring register (valid 18 months)

Benefits

Forest Rangers receive the State of Maine benefits package plus division-issued equipment:

Health, dental, and life insurance options — the State pays 85%-95% of employee-only health premiums and 100% of employee-only dental
MainePERS retirement, with the State contributing the equivalent of 14.11% of pay for MSEA-covered employees
13 paid holidays, 12 days of sick leave, and 3+ weeks of vacation annually
Deferred compensation program options
Issued uniform, field gear, and a Forest Ranger patrol vehicle, plus clothing and telephone allowances

New rangers complete a 12-18 week Law Enforcement Basic School and a 10-week advanced Forest Ranger school, then work under a Field Training Officer for a minimum of six months (832 hours) before attaining permanent status.

Leadership & hiring contacts

Patty Cormier

State Forester

Robby Gross

Chief Forest Ranger

Good to know

Do Maine Forest Rangers have law enforcement authority?

Yes. Under Maine law (Title 12, §8901), forest rangers hold statewide law enforcement powers equivalent to a sheriff's within their jurisdiction. They enforce forestry, environmental, and conservation laws, investigate suspicious fires, and may execute warrants and make arrests for forest-related crimes.

What does the physical fitness test for Forest Ranger applicants involve?

One-minute push-up and sit-up tests scored at the 50th percentile for age and gender, plus a 1.5-mile run at the 60th percentile. The test is administered at the Maine Criminal Justice Academy in Vassalboro on the first and third Wednesday of each month, and results must be from within the past two years when you apply.

Do Forest Rangers choose where in Maine they work?

Willingness to locate anywhere within the State of Maine is a stated minimum qualification. The division's hiring register is used to fill vacancies across the state for 18 months after it is established.

Does the Maine Forest Service hire pilots?

Yes. Forest Ranger Pilots fly the division's fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft, including helitack operations. Minimums include 1,500 hours as pilot in command, a year of bush-type flying experience, an unrestricted FAA commercial certificate with a rotorcraft-helicopter rating, and an FAA Class 1 or 2 medical — plus the same fitness, background, and polygraph standards as Forest Ranger IIs.