I am looking for temporary summer employment working forest fires?

You need to get your U.S forest service "wildland" firefighting training. You can get your firefighter certificate in what ever state you live in by going to any city and asking the fire marshall or chief where to take the training. The U.S. forest service's web site has links to apply for any area that you are interested in. You have to go where the forest service sends you before you can ask for a given area. Temp employment is a good way to get your foot in the door. Taking forestry or advanced agronimy courses or advanced firefighting courses is a good way to advance. Forest fires make their own weather and it takes a very specific person to help out in these areas. Hot Springs, South Dakota's local forest service fire crews lost four young men last year. They lost many more in Arizona. This is a dangerous occupation. Forest fires create their own weather because they consume oxygen and draw in more. Imagine if a fire starts in your area with a great amount of fuel. These areas will stay the same temperature and increase in temp and consume more air. This creates an influx of air toward the fire. This influx creates it's own weather by way of air movement and shadow on the ground as compared to sun and temp above. If you have never been in a thunderstorm created by a wildfire, then you have never been in the west. I have had the daylight go to dark in the middle of the day because of fire smoke. This is where the temp variations come from. These young men died because they were fighting a fire that was going away from them and a storm where lightnign struck started a fire behind them and trapped them. Be aware of what you wish for. I turly hope that you get a chance to accomplish your dream. Extinguishing a fire of this magnitude is something to be proud of. good luck in your dream.