Keyra Sanchez Cardoza
Richmond,CA
Summary
Fire and fuels specialist with experience in burn operations, fuels reduction. Skilled in firing and holding operations.FFT2 and Faller 3 certified, bilingual in Spanish, and committed to teamwork and stewardship.
Overview
1
1
Certification
8
8
years of professional experience
Work History
Prescribe Fire Apprentice
Fire Forward
Petaluma, CA
01.2026 - 12.2026
- This 12-person crew module (including 5 apprentice/entry-level positions) supports prescribed fire operations, fuels reduction, and land stewardship work throughout the North Bay region. Crew members work in roles including firing crew, engine crew lead, and holding crew, and are expected to build proficiency across fire operations, equipment, land management, and physical readiness.
- Executed prescribed fire operations to manage vegetation and reduce fuels.
- Apply firing techniques appropriate to fuel type and terrain
- Prepare and secure burn units; support burn planning
- Understand fire behavior, weather patterns, and FEMO (Fire Effects Monitor) roles
- Execute holding, containment, and burn securement procedures
- Recognize and respond to spot fires and suppression needs
- Fell trees and managed vegetation for fuels reduction
- Construct and maintain fireline
- Prepared equipment and vehicles for fire operations and communication tasks.
- Set up and prep hose lays; support mobile attack operations
- Operate UTVs and tow trailers safely
- Perform gear check-out and maintenance
- Operate and troubleshoot radios (Baofeng, Yaesu, BK); record and verify working stations/channels
- Read topographic maps and use Avenza for GPS navigation
- Land Stewardship & Ecology
- Apply proper pruning techniques and sanitation protocols to prevent the spread of Sudden Oak Death
- Identify common North Bay ecosystems and understand their fire and ecological response
- Safety & Medical
- Apply correct PPE use based on task and conditions
- Maintain working knowledge of common wildland fire medical response
- Physical Readiness
- Participate in on-the-clock PT: running, hiking, strength training, and stretching
- Maintain fitness for sustained work in challenging field conditions
- Leadership & Culture
- Demonstrate leadership on and off the fireline
- Maintain a positive, respectful attitude under demanding conditions
- Practice the program's core values of fellowship, teamwork, and stewardship
- Hours per week: 40
Restoration Technician
WRA Landscape
San Rafael, California
09.2024 - 09.2025
- Supported invasive plant removal and vegetation maintenance.
- Assisted with revegetation work and plant care.
- Helped prepare sites for landscape construction, erosion control, and soil stabilization.
- Supported fuels management tasks.
- Assisted with irrigation system operation and upkeep.
- Completed fire fuels reduction work.
- Cleaned and maintained tools such as chainsaws, pole saws, and McCulloch equipment.
- Pulled and drove trailers as needed.
Wildland Mitigation Specialist
Forestry Fire Recruitment Program
Oakland, CA
10.2023 - 04.2024
- Perform light cleaning of administrative offices; maintain grounds and equipment.
- Inspect properties for weeds and combustible materials that may constitute a fire hazard; write correspondence setting forth violations and conditions for abatement.
- Enforce fire prevention regulations, including exterior hazard and general fire hazard notices.
- Participate in fire prevention projects such as fuels reduction.
- Operate hand and power tools, and other equipment as necessary.
- Analyze structure ignition potential in the wildland/urban interface using a science-based approach.
- Make mitigation recommendations based on wildland fire behavior.
- Accurately assess the potential for structure ignitions in wildland/urban interface fire.
- Implement fuel modification plans to reduce wildland/urban interface hazards.
- Recommend appropriate mitigation measures and strategies for the wildland/urban interface.
- Perform routine safety evaluations and inspections of new and existing buildings, structures, and installations requiring fire clearances; identify fire hazards; recommend corrective actions; perform follow-up inspections to confirm corrective actions have been taken.
- Prepare reports related to fire prevention and mitigation activities.
- Understand how fuel, terrain, and weather influence wildland fire behavior and how structures ignite in the wildland/urban interface, and clearly communicate this to residents.
- Know and understand techniques pertinent to tree thinning, brush removal, pruning, grazing, mowing, prescribed fire, and chemical treatments.
- Build and maintain positive working relationships with stakeholders to ensure assigned fire prevention coordination efforts are successful.
- Wear personal protective equipment (PPE) as required.
- Hours per week: 32
Wildland Firefighter
Rainbow CC#2/CALFIRE
Fallbrook, CA
09.2018 - 03.2019
- Extinguished flames and embers to suppress fires, using shovel, pulaski, rhino, and McLeod.
- Used basic wild land fire suppression and applied the skills learned on incidents, including fire weather, incident organization, fire behavior and proper tool and radio use.
- Assisted in specialized assignments including backfire and burnout.
- Collaborated with other firefighters as a member of a firefighting crew.
- Learned proper chain saw tree falling techniques used chain saw to cut fire line. Performed trail and road maintenance using various fire fighting tools and equipment including chainsaws.
- Learned proper techniques in removing brush for fire line construction.
- Performed a variety of technical and procedural duties including wild land fire suppression, prescribed fire operations, hazard fuel reduction, fire prevention, safety inspections, maintenance of fire equipment, and emergency medical service.
- Used various fire tools to construct fire line including Pulaski, shovel, rhino, single bit axe, carried a 25lb. Chainsaw and dolmar up steep mountains, McLeod, and 300 ft. of synthetic fire hose.
- Participated in physical training to maintain high levels of physical fitness.
- Patrolled burned areas after fires to locate and eliminate hot spots that may restart fires.
- Felled trees, cut and cleared brush, and dug trenches to create fire lines using axes, chainsaws, and shovels.
- Hours per week: 40
Skills
- Prescribed fire operations
- Fuel reduction
- Wildland fire behavior
- Hazard mitigation
- GPS navigation
- Radio communication
- Equipment maintenance
- Vehicle operation
- Physical endurance
- Situational awareness
- Effective communication
- Community outreach
Certification
- CERTIFICATIONS
- S-130
- S-190
- L-180
- S-219
- S-290
- S-112
- RT-130
- CPR/FIRST AID
- CA FLAGGER
- OSHA 10
Language skills
Spanish Spoken: Advanced | Written: Advanced | Read: Advanced, English Spoken: Advanced | Written: Advanced | Read: Advanced
Job-related training
- FFT2/ TASKBOOKS:
- FALLER 3
- OTHER TRAININGS:
- TRAILER DRIVING
- COMMON MEDICAL STUFF
- UTV OPS
- RADIOS
- GEAR CHECK
- HOSELAYS
- MOBILE ATTACK
- BURN PLANNING
- WEATHER KITS
Timeline
Prescribe Fire Apprentice
Fire Forward
01.2026 - 12.2026
Restoration Technician
WRA Landscape
09.2024 - 09.2025
Wildland Mitigation Specialist
Forestry Fire Recruitment Program
10.2023 - 04.2024
Wildland Firefighter
Rainbow CC#2/CALFIRE
09.2018 - 03.2019