Kern County, CA, Battalion Chief Seriously Injured after Vehicle Goes off Cliff

The Kern County fire chief was near the Canyon Fire when the vehicle rolled nearly 200 feet down a Castaic cliff.

Aug. 9, 2025

A battalion chief sustained serious injuries after their Kern County Fire Department vehicle rolled nearly 200 feet down a hillside.

Firefighters were called to Romero Canyon in Castaic around 7 p.m. Friday for the accident, according to CBS Los Angeles. The accident happened near the Canyon Fire.

Los Angeles County firefighters found the fire chief's vehicle nearly 200 feet down a steep hillside.

The firefighter was able to crawl from the heavily damaged fire vehicle.

Kern County officials identified the member as Battalion Chief James Agee. He suffered serious injuries and was flown by helicopter to Henry Mayo Medical Center in Valencia.

"James is a strong man with a big heart, and we know he's facing this challenge with the same strength and character he's shown throughout his career," Kern County Fire Chief Aaron Duncan said in a statement. "We are grateful for the swift actions of our crews and partner agencies, and for the kindness being shown to James and his family."

About the Author

Peter Matthews

Editor-in-Chief/Conference Director

Peter Matthews is the conference director and editor-in-chief of Firehouse. He has worked at Firehouse since 1999, serving in various roles on both Firehouse Magazine and Firehouse.com staffs. He completed an internship with the Rochester, NY, Fire Department and served with fire departments in Rush, NY, and Laurel, MD, and was a lieutenant with the Glenwood Fire Company in Glenwood, NY. Matthews served as photographer for the St. Paul, MN, Fire Department and currently is a photographer for the Fort Worth, TX, Fire Department.