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REDDING, CA – CAL FIRE graduated 39 new Company Officers today at the Redding Training Center.
The graduation ceremony was attended by top leadership, including Director/Fire Chief Joe Tyler, Chief Deputy Director of Operations Anale Burlew, and Cooperative Fire Protection Deputy Director Matthew Sully, alongside CAL FIRE Region and Unit leadership.
Director/Fire Chief Tyler delivered the keynote address before administering the official oath to the graduating class.
“These leaders represent the future of our emergency response capabilities,” said Director/Fire Chief Tyler. “The continued success of our academies ensures we can deploy the highest caliber officers to protect our communities.”
Record Progress in Training Capacity
With the graduation of Fire Control Class 25-11, CAL FIRE has now trained over 540 new Company Officers in 2025. This historic training pace is on track to meet the department's goal of graduating over 650 Company Officers by the end of the year, a record total for the CAL FIRE Training Program.
The increased capacity was made possible by the addition of the Atwater Training Center in July 2025—the department’s fourth training location. The Atwater Center recently held its inaugural graduation on October 24, 2025.
The Company Officer: A Critical Leadership Role
The CAL FIRE Company Officer is the first-line supervisor and tactical leader. Graduates of the rigorous, standardized academy are now prepared to assume a broad range of command and management responsibilities, directing the safe and effective deployment of their crews and equipment during all types of emergencies. Beyond incident response, this role is crucial during non-emergency periods, as they lead crew training, manage station readiness, and head essential fire prevention efforts like defensible space inspections and public education, ensuring a continuous, highly trained presence in the communities they serve.
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