KHTS Radio Santa Clarita Radio – Santa Clarita News
On March 8, the first Hispanic Fire Chief will assume command of the Angeles National Forest and San Gabriel Mountains National Monument’s Fire and Aviation program, an official said Saturday.
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Robert Garcia has been selected as the new Fire Chief by Regional Forester Randy Moore.
Chief Garcia is the first Hispanic to hold the position; he will replace the current Fire Chief James Hall, who was the first African American Fire Chief for the Angeles N. F.
Hall reached the mandatory age limit for federal fire and law enforcement positions after 36 years of dedicated service.
“I’m looking forward to spending time with my wife and grandkids, when I’m not fishing or driving my 1959 Studebaker” said Hall.
A 20 year veteran of the Forest Service, Chief Garcia is a native of Southern California.
He started his career as one of the first graduates of the Wildland Fire Explorer Academy on the Angeles when it was established in 1995.
During his career Garcia has worked on Engine and Hotshot Crews. He then rose to the rank of Superintendent for the Little Tujunga Hotshots before becoming a Battalion Chief then Division Chief on the Los Angeles Rivers Ranger District.
Currently Robert is serving as a Deputy Fire Chief on the forest.
He will manage the largest federal wildland firefighting organization in the nation.
“With such great mentors, such as Chief Hall who was my lead instructor during the Explorers to Tom Harbour our current National Fire Director in Washington DC, who was the Angeles’s Fire Chief when I was starting out as an explorer. I am proud to carry on and enhance the legacy of past Fire Chiefs on the Angeles.”
