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You don't need a degree whatsoever to get red carded. Whoever told you that is full of shit. Go talk to someone at your locals USFS, NPS or BLM field office about fire jobs. They usually have a high turnover rate and new positions every year for seasonal jobs. You will usually need to apply early in the year, but they can give you more info.
I work for the USFS and I got red carded for free. You generally have to pay if you're a private citizen.