Not Your Average Summer Job: One Clemson Student’s Season on the Fire Line
Meet the Clemson student who continues to swap summer breaks for Western fire lines, proving that resilience, teamwork, and dirt-under-your-nails grit are alive and well in Gen Z. Image: Chapman Warren
“Southern Voices” is a reader-submitted platform. Today’s submission comes from our StyleBlueprint Founder and CEO, Liza Graves. If you have a story to share, please see our guidelines for submission here. We love to hear about your wildly wonderful, challenging, captivating (and sometimes Southern-centric) experiences!
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When most college students think about summer break, fighting wildfires isn’t what comes to mind. But for my nephew, Chapman Warren, a sophomore at Clemson University, the past two summers have meant long days in the mountains, hiking steep terrain with a 35-pound pack to help protect communities from the threat of wildfire.
SB Note: If this job looks interesting for someone in your life, there is advice at the end of this article for how to apply.
It’s gritty, exhausting, and — for Chapman — worth every minute.
“There were days when the only rest I got was when the chainsaw ran out of gas,” he laughs. “But you just keep going. That’s the job.”
Chapman first became interested in wildland firefighting thanks to a catalog from the outdoor brand Filson, which featured a rookie smokejumper’s journal. Only in middle school, his curiosity sparked, and he started researching how to get involved. He eventually applied through USAJobs.gov, the federal government’s hiring site. At 18, right out of high school, he spent his first summer on the line in Nevada. This past summer, he was stationed in Colorado, continuing the work that’s quickly become a meaningful part of his life.
A Job That’s Demanding & Defining
Every day on the job looks different, but it’s never easy. Mornings start with vehicle inspections and safety briefings, followed by weather reports, mutual aid coordination, and training drills. From there, his crew might spend hours hiking into remote areas, setting prescribed burns, or digging containment lines to stop the spread of active fires.
“You’re out there in the elements all day,” Chapman explains. “There’s structure to it, but you have to stay flexible. The pace can shift fast.”
Wildland crews often work for up to 14 days straight on assignment, living out of trucks or tents with limited access to showers or restrooms. It’s not unusual to go a full two weeks without a real shower. Wet wipes are considered a luxury. In this environment, mental toughness matters as much as physical endurance. But it’s the team dynamic that Chapman points to as one of the most important parts of the job.
“You want to carry your weight because the crew depends on you. Everyone looks out for each other; it just becomes second nature.”
From the Fire Line to Freshman Year at Clemson
Returning to campus after a summer like that isn’t without its adjustments. Chapman recalls arriving at Clemson last fall with a different sense of urgency than most incoming freshmen. “I’d just come from a job where everything moved fast. The slow pace of campus life took some getting used to.”
He also found it a bit strange to go from total independence — living out West, making decisions in the field — to sharing a dorm room and adjusting to dining halls and general education classes. But the shift has been a good one. As a forestry major in the College of Agriculture, Forestry, and Life Sciences, Chapman has found community with other students who share his interests. He’s part of Clemson’s Fire Tigers program, which allows students to train and assist with local prescribed burns, adding valuable hands-on experience during the school year.
Grit, Growth, and Giving Back
The work Chapman does is serious, and so is the gear. While most equipment is issued by the government, firefighters are required to purchase their own boots, which are highly specialized and often expensive. For Chapman, who was just starting out, a Nevada-based nonprofit, the Will Hawkins Rookie Boot Fund, stepped in with a scholarship for a pair of top-tier logger boots. This is a gesture he never forgot. “That was huge. I wouldn’t have been able to buy them otherwise,” he says. “So, at the end of the season, I donated back.”
He’s stayed in touch with the fund’s founder and hopes to support more rookies in the years to come. “Those boots are bombproof,” he adds with a grin.
Chapman is also quick to credit other organizations that support wildland firefighters, including the Wildland Firefighter Foundation, Grassroots Wildland Firefighters, and the Eric Marsh Foundation — named for the superintendent of the Granite Mountain Hotshots, who died in the Yarnell Hill Fire of 2013. “People don’t go into this for recognition,” he explains. “But it’s good to know there are groups that have our backs.”
So, Who Does This Job … and Why?
Crews are made up of people from diverse backgrounds — veterans, college students, and others simply seeking a challenge. Chapman’s crew has included everyone from former Marines to a 50-year-old ex-photographer from Manhattan. What unites them is a shared work ethic, an appreciation for nature, and a willingness to do hard things.
“It’s not about being the toughest person out there. It’s about showing up, learning fast, and being a good teammate,” Chapman says.
He doesn’t know yet if wildland firefighting is his long-term career path, but for now, he’s in it for a few more seasons. He’s considering new certifications and hopes to one day work on a helitack crew — a specialized crew that responds to wildfires via helicopter.
And if another student is thinking about doing what he’s done? “Give it a shot,” he says. “You’ll get dirty. You’ll be tired. But you’ll learn a lot about yourself.”
A New Kind of Role Model
Chapman Warren may not think of himself as remarkable, but his story is exactly the kind of example we need more of. He’s proof that grit, service, and humility are alive and well in the next generation. He’s not chasing attention. He’s not chasing social media likes. He’s chasing purpose, one fire line at a time.
If this sounds like just the thing you or someone you know would find fulfilling (men and women alike), here’s some advice from Chapman:
Advice #1: For college-age students: “What if instead of traveling, you gave back to your community this way?”
- He also mentions that for some, firefighting could be a meaningful alternative to a traditional gap year or post-grad travel.
Advice #2: “You don’t need to be someone who’s planning to go back year after year. Anyone can make it through one season, even if they don’t like it.”
- He emphasizes that you don’t need to commit long-term to benefit from the experience. One season can be transformative — even if you never return.
Advice #3: “Go to USAJobs.gov and start looking at postings … I think they’re going to start flying positions for next summer in October.”
- Positions often open for only two weeks, so check early and often.
- He also recommends the Reddit community r/Wildfire as a resource for tips on applications, leadership insights, and selecting good duty stations.
Advice #4: “Do your research on where you want to end up and what the leadership is like at that place.”
- Leadership quality makes a huge difference in the crew experience.
- Some online communities (like Reddit and Discord) are helpful for identifying well-run stations versus those with toxic cultures.
Advice #5: “Get in the best shape you can, then be ready to be humbled on day one.”
- He describes the job as mentally and physically demanding, but emphasizes that attitude often matters more than ability.
- “If you’re slow but you show up every day, want to learn, and do extra workouts, that goes a long way.”
It’s easy to be critical of different generations, but Gen Z is filled with so many inspirational people. Thank you, Chapman!
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Liza Graves
As CEO of StyleBlueprint, Liza also regularly writes for SB. Most of her writing is now found in the recipe archives as cooking is her stress relief!