Brian Fennessy is the first Director of the new US Wildland Fire Service, his role not only represents a change within the industry but also a significant milestone for him professionally too.
Appointed on the 12 January 2026, Fennessy comes to the role with extensive experience in wildland and structural fire management.
As the new Director, Chief Fennessy will lead the implementation of a single cohesive wildland fire organization within the US Department of the Interior and it is a mission that he does not take lightly.
In this exclusive interview with Fire and Safety Journal Americas Assistant Editor, Isabelle Crow, Fennessy explains how he is helping to build something that has never existed before.
He details why a unified US Wildland Fire Service is intrinsic to protecting communities and supporting firefighters with clarity of mission and purpose.
I began my career in 1978 with the US Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service and later for the Bureau of Land Management, serving on hotshot crews and helitack modules in California and Alaska.
Those early years on the fire line shaped my understanding of teamwork, accountability and mission focus.
In 1990, I joined the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department, where I served in operational and command roles for three decades.
I later served as Fire Chief in San Diego and then as Fire Chief of the Orange County Fire Authority, one of the largest fire departments in California.
Throughout my career, I have remained closely connected to wildland fire operations, aviation management and incident command.
Brian Fennessy
I have served on incident management teams and worked alongside federal, state, tribal and local partners during some of the most complex wildfire events in the country.
On January 12, 2026, I was appointed to serve as the first Director of the US Wildland Fire Service, leading the unification of Interior’s wildland fire programs under a single, cohesive organization.
Leading large, complex organizations reinforced three principles for me: clarity of mission, care for the workforce and disciplined execution.
In both Orange County and San Diego, we responded to increasingly destructive wildfires that required coordinated aviation, structural and wildland operations.
I learned that success depends on eliminating unnecessary bureaucracy, empowering operational leaders and investing in firefighter health and professional development.
Brian Fennessy
Those lessons directly inform how we are building the US Wildland Fire Service.
We are focused on operational efficiency, clear lines of authority and strong interagency coordination.
At the same time, we are prioritizing firefighter health, mental wellness and career advancement as foundational elements of this new service.
On the ground, decisions are immediate and tactical. At the system-wide level, decisions are structural and long term.
I have shifted from managing incidents to building an organization that will manage incidents for decades to come.
That requires patience; collaboration; and a deliberate approach to workforce alignment, policy modernization and resource management.
Brian Fennessy
The Interior Department’s wildland fire mission remains the same: to protect lives, property and landscapes.
The difference is that my role now is to ensure that every firefighter in the field has the tools, support and leadership necessary to succeed.
In June 2025, President Donald J. Trump issued Executive Order 14308, Empowering Commonsense Wildfire Prevention and Response.
It directs the modernization of federal wildland fire management. In response, the Secretary of the Interior issued orders elevating and unifying the Department’s wildland fire programs under a single, cohesive service.
Given my background in both federal wildland fire and municipal fire leadership and my experience managing organizational change, I believe I can help build a purpose-driven fire organization designed specifically for the wildland mission.
Brian Fennessy
Already at that time, Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum had made it clear that the goal of this unification is to strengthen wildfire preparedness, response and risk reduction across the nation.This is a historic moment for Interior and I felt called to serve.
Wildland fire has always been an interagency endeavor by necessity. No single organization has enough resources to address today’s wildfire environment alone.
We are building the US Wildland Fire Service to enhance collaboration, not replace it.
We will continue to work closely with the USDA Forest Service, tribal governments, states, counties and municipal partners.
Shared incident management, predictive services, procurement and aviation coordination remain central to our approach .
Internally, unifying Interior’s wildland fire programs reduces duplication and clarifies command relationships. Externally, it strengthens our ability to speak with one voice and deploy resources efficiently.
I have stood on the fire line. I understand the physical demands, the extended assignments and the toll that working in wildland fire can take on families.
That experience drives my commitment to firefighter health and safety. We are prioritizing cancer prevention, mental health support, modernized equipment standards and improved aviation capability.
Brian Fennessy
Supporting the workforce across aviation, command staff, logistics and post-fire recovery roles is critical. Our firefighters deserve an organization that is fully aligned behind them.
My aspiration is straightforward: to build the most capable, professional and respected wildland fire organization in the world.
That means streamlining Interior’s fire programs under a unified structure; strengthening recruitment, training and career pathways; investing in aviation and emerging technologies; expanding proactive risk reduction and fuels mitigation near communities; and ensuring rapid, safe and decisive wildfire response.
Wildfire is no longer seasonal. It is a year-round national challenge.
The US Wildland Fire Service positions the Interior to meet that challenge with urgency, discipline and unity of effort.
Brian Fennessy
This is not simply an organizational realignment. It is modernizing how Interior fulfills its responsibility to protect communities, natural resources and the American people.
