Fire Chief - City of Escondido, CA

Fire Chief - City of Escondido, CA Close Date: Aug 23, 2026 Escondido lies 30 miles northeast of San Diego and 100 miles south of Los Angeles, just 18 miles from the coast. The Escondido Fire Department , supported by 135 FTEs (including Chief Officers) and a $44.89 million operating budget, provides fire, rescue, emergency planning, fire prevention, and EMS services to 165,268 residents across nearly 50-square-miles, including one of Southern California's most significant wildland-urban interface environments. This is an exceptional opportunity for an innovative, collaborative leader to help shape one of California's premier municipal wildfire resilience programs. The City seeks a Fire Chief who combines outstanding operational and administrative expertise, strategic vision, and experience advancing wildfire risk reduction through community partnerships, data-driven decision-making, and proactive mitigation. Experience collaborating with nonprofit organizations and regional partners to strengthen community resilience is highly desirable. Requires a bachelor’s degree, California Chief Fire Officer certification (or ability to obtain), and 10 years of progressively responsible experience, including three years of management & administrative responsibility at DC level or above. The salary range is $198,938 - $296,105 DOQE + excellent benefits. Closes at midnight on Sun day, August 23, 2026 . #J-18808-Ljbffr Teri Black & Company, LLC