MERCED COUNTY, Calif. — On Monday, July 28, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or Cal Fire, will open a new training center in Merced County, located at the former Castle Air Force Base in Atwater.

The Atwater Training Center will provide comprehensive training and education to Cal Fire personnel to ensure readiness and effectiveness in fire prevention, protection and emergency response.

“The addition of the fourth training center is a significant milestone for our Department, as we continue our efforts to advance fire protection throughout the state,” said Cal Fire Training Centers Deputy Chief of Operations Justin Chaplin.

Cal Fire currently operates three other Training Centers located in Ione, Redding and Riverside. 

The addition of this fourth training center will further support the addition of new positions and enable us to provide instruction to an additional 300 students annually. 

This expansion will support fire control academies — including firefighter and company officer academies — both delivered across four locations.

With the opening of the Atwater Training Center, Cal Fire Training Centers will maintain seven concurrent Fire Control Academies in addition to an annual heavy fire equipment operator academy, three emergency command center academies and a California Peace Officer Standards and Training, or POST, certified law enforcement regular basic course across its four locations and is on pace to train approximately 1,600 fire control students in 2025.