California’s new firefighter training centre puts pressure on federal staffing crisis
Iain Hoey
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California expands training infrastructure with new firefighter centre
The LA Times has reported that the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) has opened a new firefighter training centre in Merced County.
The Atwater Training Center welcomed its first 40 students on Monday, marking the latest step in a multi-year expansion of Cal Fire’s training programme.
The facility joins three existing training centres and is designed to help prepare new entry-level firefighters and company officers.
According to Cal Fire, the Atwater site has capacity for 300 students per year and is located on the grounds of a former Air Force base.
The department expects to train approximately 1,600 firefighters across its four centres in 2025.
Growing workforce capacity to meet operational needs
The expansion comes as Cal Fire continues to grow its workforce to match the demands of increased fire risk and response.
According to California Department of Finance data, the number of authorised fire protection positions at Cal Fire has nearly doubled since 2017.
In the same period, Cal Fire’s annual budget has risen from $2 billion to $4.2 billion, with 90 percent of funding allocated to fire protection.
A Cal Fire spokesperson said that, as of July 2025, the department employs 12,223 people, including seasonal firefighters.
This figure exceeds 2024’s peak staffing level of 11,754 and is expected to increase further during the fire season.
Cal Fire is currently recruiting for a range of roles, including entry-level firefighters, heavy equipment operators and battalion chiefs.
Curriculum includes live fire training and leadership skills
Nicole Gissell, Cal Fire assistant chief and curriculum lead, said the training programme is designed to prepare recruits for field command responsibilities from day one.
Gissell said: “Students could graduate from our academy and, their next day, arrive on scene and have to command the fire.”
She added: “Our training programme is probably one of the best in the fire service.
“Our training programme has been growing in the last five years to meet the demands of the department and to train all 12,000 employees.”
The Atwater centre delivers a 10-week training programme covering core firefighting techniques, fire science, equipment handling and leadership.
Students also complete practical exercises including a week of live fire response and training in fire towers and off-road driving.
Federal shortages contrast with state investment
The new facility opened as federal agencies continue to report high vacancy rates across their firefighting units.
According to a July 2025 investigation by ProPublica, over 4,500 positions in the US Forest Service remain unfilled.
This figure represents around 27 percent of federal wildland firefighting roles.
Governor Gavin Newsom has called for greater national support for wildfire preparedness, including in a proposed executive order sent to the federal government earlier this year.
The LA Times reported that Newsom’s proposal challenged federal authorities to match the state’s level of investment in training and workforce readiness.
Historic development of Cal Fire’s training programme
Cal Fire’s original training centre opened in Ione, California in 1967 with 32 students and remained the sole facility for 50 years.
A second centre was established in Riverside in 2017, followed by a third in Redding in 2023.
The opening of the Atwater Training Center in 2025 brings the total number of Cal Fire training centres to four.
Each centre is supported by cadres of instructors delivering standardised training across the state.
The Atwater facility will house two of the department’s seven instructor teams.
California firefighter training centre opens amid national staffing shortage: Summary
The LA Times has reported that Cal Fire opened a new training centre in Atwater, Merced County.
The facility welcomed its first 40 students on Monday.
It is the fourth training centre operated by Cal Fire.
The site has capacity for 300 students annually.
Cal Fire expects to train 1,600 firefighters across all centres in 2025.
The training programme lasts 10 weeks and includes live fire exercises.
Nicole Gissell, assistant chief, said graduates must be ready to lead incidents.
Cal Fire currently employs 12,223 personnel.
The number of authorised positions has doubled since 2017.
The department’s budget has also doubled since 2017.
Federal firefighting roles remain 27 percent vacant, according to ProPublica.
Governor Gavin Newsom has urged federal investment in wildfire preparedness.
