Governor Newsom celebrates graduation of emergency response leaders, highlights investments since 2019

What you need to know: Today, 39 Company Officers graduated from Ione Training Center, adding to the more than 3,300 that have joined CAL FIRE since 2019. Under Governor Newsom's leadership California has made historic investments into wildfire preparedness and emergency response.

IONE, CA - Joining the state's elite firefighting team, Governor Gavin Newsom announced that 39 Company Officers graduated today and will join more than 3,300 CAL FIRE Company Officers who have started since 2019. Known as California's frontline leaders in emergency response and crew development, these Officers were recognized at the Ione Training center along with 13 new Heavy Fire Equipment Operators.

I'm proud of today's new graduates and grateful that they are stepping up to lead. California has the world's premier firefighting force with innovative technology, the world's largest civilian aerial fleet and dedicated personnel who lead with courage and professionalism

Governor Gavin Newsom

"Today's graduation marks far more than the completion of rigorous training - it represents the continued strengthening of our ranks and the future leadership of this department," said CAL FIRE Director and Fire Chief Joe Tyler. "Each graduate has demonstrated exceptional commitment, resilience, and professionalism"

The Company Officer Academy remains the bridge between technical proficiency and command leadership. Recent graduates completed intensive training in tactical command, personnel management, and all-risk emergency operations, and they now return to their units across the state ready to lead.

In 2019, CAL FIRE's development pipeline was centered primarily at two academies: Ione and Riverside. At that time, Ione hosted all six of the Department's annual Company Officer Academies. Today, under Governor Newsom's leadership, CAL FIRE has successfully doubled thisits footprint, operating four training centers in Ione, Riverside, Redding, and the newest training center in Atwater. Academies specialize in leadership, aviation, and equipment operations programs.

California has significantly strengthened CAL FIRE's ability to develop the next generation of firefighter leaders. Since 2019, the Department has increased its annual academies from six to a planned 15 Company Officer Academies in 2026, graduating more than 3,300 Company Officers along the way. As a result, CAL FIRE is better equipped, more effectively led, and increasingly prepared to protect California's people, property, and natural resources. Nearly 200 Company Officers have already graduated in 2026.

Since 2019, CAL FIRE has nearly doubled the number of fire protection workforce - growing from 5,829 to 11,436 positions. Over the past five years, Governor Newsom, in partnership with the Legislature, expanded CAL FIRE's firefighting workforce by adding an average of 1,800 full-time and 600 seasonal positions annually-nearly double that of the previous administration.