The CAL FIRE Lassen-Modoc Unit has announced the appointment of Joshua Kern as its new Unit Chief, effective December 15th, 2025. Chief Kern, a long-time veteran of the local unit, has already begun his tenure, assuming full responsibility for the Unit on December 22nd, following a week of transition and mentorship with retiring Chief Eric Ewing.
Chief Kern’s deep roots in the region’s fire service date back to 1996 when he began his career as a Firefighter I in the Lassen-Modoc Unit. His initial assignment was to Battalion III at the Bieber Fire Station. Over the next five years, he gained broad experience serving as a Firefighter I at various stations across the Unit, including the Bieber Helitack base.
In 2001, Kern was promoted to Fire Apparatus Engineer, splitting his time between the Grasshopper and Susanville Fire Stations. During this period, he also expanded his administrative skills by contributing to the Unit Training Bureau and Headquarters Fleet operations.
Kern’s leadership path continued in 2007 when he accepted a Fire Captain B position at Intermountain Camp. In this role, he supervised Inmate Fire Crews and managed camp administrative duties. He returned to Battalion III in 2011 as a Fire Captain A at the Bieber Fire Station, working as both an Engine and Helitack Captain. It was during this tenure that he became a qualified Air Tactical Group Supervisor.
By 2015, Kern had promoted to Battalion Chief at the Susanville Interagency Fire Center. Four years later, in 2019, he transferred back to the Bieber Battalion to oversee the Bieber Helitack, Bieber, and Happy Camp Fire Stations, as well as manage the Unit’s Aviation program.
Most recently, prior to his appointment as Unit Chief, Kern served as Assistant Chief starting in 2021, where he oversaw the Intermountain Conservation Camp and the Unit’s CAPCOM program. In that capacity, he was credited with successfully completing numerous unit-wide projects and forecasting future needs for the department.
Over his 29-year career, Chief Kern has been an integral part of several Unit Cadres, including the 8100 Committee, ECC Classifications Committee, Aviation Working Group, and Fire Crew Preparedness Exercises. He has also served as the Northern Region Duty Officer and has been a dedicated member of Incident Management Teams, serving in the Logistics Section and currently acting as the Liaison Officer for Incident Management Team 2.
Beyond his professional duties, Chief Kern is actively involved in the local community, serving on committees for the California Deer Association and various local non-profit organizations.
Chief Kern is supported by his wife of 22 years, Jessica, their oldest daughter Ryleigh, son Logan and youngest daughter Delaney.
