Hillory Flowers Makes History as New Fire Chief in Olympia, WA
Hillory Flowers has been named the Fire Chief for the Olympia Fire Department, making her the first woman to hold the position in the organization’s 164-year history.
City Manager Jay Burney made the announcement at Tuesday’s City Council meeting.
“She’s a proven leader and relationship-builder, well respected by the fire community both locally and regionally,” Burney said Tuesday.
Flowers served 19 years at Lacey Fire District 3, holding roles including assistant chief of health and safety and interim medical services officer. She joined OFD in April 2025 as the assistant chief of EMS, then became deputy chief of operations. She took on the role of interim chief after Chief Matthew Morris retired in March.
She emphasized her appreciation for her team at OFD, expressing gratitude for the firefighters’ determination to serve the community. Her first goal is to develop the next generation of Olympia firefighters — around 40 percent of OFD’s crew holds less than three years of experience, Flowers said.
“Our priority is developing that next generation through strong training, mentorship, meaningful experiences,” Flowers told The Olympian. “So that they can have the confidence, knowledge and skills necessary to respond effectively and take care of our community.”
Following Tuesday’s announcement, Olympia Mayor Dontae Payne spoke to the importance of female community leaders, like Flowers, in serving as role-models for young women.
“It’s so important for our young girls and young women to see someone such as yourself in a leadership role, like being the fire chief,” Payne said Tuesday.
Flowers said her promotion reflects a breakthrough of the glass ceiling within the fire department, where women can move up through the ranks.
“Anytime we can create an opportunity for people to see someone like themselves in a role, it creates an opportunity for them to see that they could join the same thing,” Flowers told The Olympian.
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