SUSANVILLE, Calif., August 18, 2015 – Lassen National Forest has hired Steve Griffin to be the organization’s forest fire management officer. “Steve will be a great addition to our team,” said Lassen National Forest Supervisor Dave Hays. “He brings both strong fire management experience and excellent leadership skills to the Lassen.” Griffin began his Forest Service career in 1988 at the Sequoia National Forest as a fire lookout, in time working his way up to become a member of the engine crew. He left to take on a three-year assignment as a hotshot crew member at Sequoia/Kings Canyon National Parks before returning to Sequoia National Forest as a hotshot squad leader. He subsequently worked as a fire engine operator and engine captain before becoming a hotshot superintendent and, ultimately, district battalion chief. In this last role, he supervised 21 people to manage emergency incidents in cooperation with multiple agencies and partners. Most recently, Griffin served as the fire training officer at the Forest Service’s Northern California Operations center, where he provided regional oversight for training programs, supervised workforce development initiatives, and recommended changes to programs and policy at both regional and national levels. His success depended upon strong cooperation with other regions, as well as federal, state, and local agencies and stakeholders. “I’m honored to have this opportunity help lead the fire program at Lassen National Forest,” said Griffin. “I look forward to working with both the Forest and our cooperators to advance an already strong program to protect the region’s natural resources.” Lassen National Forest lies at the Crossroads of California, where the granite of the Sierra Nevada, the lava of the Cascades and the Modoc Plateau, and the sagebrush of the Great Basin meet. The Forest is managed for recreational access as well as timber and firewood, forage for livestock, water, minerals, and other natural resources. For more information, call (530)257-2151 or visit www.fs.usda.gov/lassen. The mission of the U.S. Forest Service, part U.S. Department of Agriculture, is to sustain the health, diversity and productivity of the nation's forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations. The agency manages 193 million acres of public land, provides assistance to state and private landowners, and maintains the largest forestry research organization in the world. Public lands the Forest Service manages contribute more than $13 billion to the economy each year through visitor spending alone. Those same lands provide 20 percent of the nation's clean water supply, a value estimated at $7.2 billion per year. The agency has either a direct or indirect role in stewardship of about 80 percent of the 850 million forested acres within the U.S., of which 100 million acres are urban forests where most Americans live.