NW Timber Fallers

[islandlogger]

Has anybody one here worked with/around/for North West Timber Fallers in the PNW?
This elite group of Timber Fallers work on the fire lines cutting the hazard trees. Looks like a great seasonal gig and a nice way to get into some Timber that is other wise "hands off"
I've been "pondering" over putting a application in with them and just wondered if anyone had any experience with them...
www.nwtimberfallers.com

islandlogger

[jueston]

i hadn't heard about them before, but i just had a look around there website and it looks like a great operation, i would imagine you could sure learn a lot working for them for a little while...

[Bobus2003]

I've dealt with a few of their Crews When I was on a Fire in Idaho (East Zone Complex) & California (SHU Lightning Complex).. Good groups of guys, They knew their stuff.. Cut a few "Hooter" trees with them in California.

Their will Be a Few Classes you will have to take to Get Certified to Fell trees on a USFS Fire or Project. (I'm a Class B Faller, working on my Class C)

Class A - Faller Class A qualification, Can Cut trees 8 inches in diameter or less

Class B - Faller Class B qualification, Can Cut trees up to 24 inches in diameter

Class C - Faller Class C qualifaction, Can Cut Trees greater than 25 inches in diameter or greater

[lumberjack48]

When i was out in MT. , i was fighting fire on Bear Mountain just east of Libby, MT.
I saw a guy falling the dead trees, big Ole Burt out sags. I got a chance to talk to him, this was more my style of job. He got $33.00 a day guaranty, plus 50 cents a sag.
I know don't sound like much,[minimum wage was $1.40]  1967

He told me they had a guy get killed the week before, he was walking up on one, it fell before he got there.
Montana State payed me $2.25 a hour, 24 hours a day, not a fun place to be. 

[Ron Scott]

I had two NW tree fallers in my fire crew on a large forest fire in Wenatchee National Forest in the state of Washington back in 1970. They were very professional and extremely well trained for falling the burning snags on the steep mountain terrain.

It was a joy and education to just watch them do their work under such abnormal conditions. With all my years in the woods, I don't believe that I've seen such professional tree falling since.

[islandlogger]

Ron
That's a good report, judging by what I can find out about them they are a tight knit crew and pick the elite, kind of the Navy Seals of the Timber Industry. Did any of the fellas you worked with shed light on what the pay rates were? They look like a worthy group to try out for and falling burning or fire damaged wood could be a nice change of pace for a season  :D

islandlogger

[Ron Scott]

In this case they were paid the US Forest Service fire fighter pay rate for experienced tree fallers which was at the upper end of the pay scale plus hazard duty pay.