The Angeles National Forest will be hosting a graduation ceremony Sunday, April 26 for 45 cadets in the Wildland Fire ExplorerAcademy, Post #99. The ceremony will begin promptly at noon at the Don Biedebach Training Center, 12371 Little Tujunga Canyon Road, San Fernando (Osborne exit off the 210 freeway).

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The Angeles National Forest Explorer Academy, for young men and women ages 16-21, is the only Explorer program in the country specific to wildland firefighting. The program introduces students to potential careers in wildland firefighting with the U.S. Forest Service and a number of other agencies and departments in southern California.

The graduating cadets have met the physical and academic challenges of this year’s academy. In addition to the Angeles National Forest, graduating Explorers represent the following departments: Bakersfield Fire Department, Kern County Fire Department, Los Angeles City Fire Department, Los Angeles County Fire Department, Orange County Fire Authority, Oxnard Fire Department, Santa Barbara County Fire Department  and Ventura County Fire Department.

Hundreds of graduates of the Angeles National Firest Explorer Academy have gone on to professional careers in the fire service. For more information on Explorer Post #99, including a photo of this year’s graduating class, please visit www.anfpost99.com.

The U.S. Forest Service Honor Guard, hosted by the San Bernardino National Forest, will present the colors as part of the graduation ceremony. For more information on the Honor Guard, please visit www.fs.fed.us/r5/sanbernardino/fire/hg.