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Southern California Fire Chief Takes Helm of US Wildland Fire Service

Former Orange County Fire Authority Brian Fennessy grew up in Altadena, the community devastated by the Eaton Fire in 2025.
Southern California Fire Chief Takes Helm of US Wildland Fire Service
Orange County Fire Authority Chief Brian Fennessy speaks during a news conference about Southern California's upcoming wildfire season at the Los Angeles County Fire Department headquarters in Los Angeles, on June 14, 2024. Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images
Jill McLaughlin
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Former Chief of the Orange County Fire Authority Brian Fennessy, who grew up in Altadena, will oversee the creation of the new U.S. Wildland Fire Service, the Department of the Interior announced on Jan. 12.
He brings nearly 50 years of firefighting experience, having most recently witnessed the devastation of the January 2025 Eaton and Palisades fires in the Southern California region, which together destroyed thousands of homes and killed 31 people.
Jill McLaughlin
Jill McLaughlin
Author
Jill McLaughlin is an award-winning journalist covering politics, environment, and statewide issues. She has been a reporter and editor for newspapers in Oregon, Nevada, and New Mexico. Jill was born in Yosemite National Park and enjoys the majestic outdoors, traveling, golfing, and hiking.