PEDRO — The Wayne National Forest welcomes Andrew “Andy” Pascarella as the new Forest Fire Management Officer.

In his new role, Pascarella will lead the forest’s robust fire, fuels, and mitigation and prevention programs. Additionally, he will serve on the forest’s leadership team.

“Andy brings valuable technical expertise and leadership experience to the Wayne,” Forest Supervisor Lee Stewart said. “His diverse background and broad range of experiences will enhance our team as we steward the National Forest forward.”

Pascarella brings with him 15 years of experience in fire leadership, and 22 years total experience in fire and forest management between state and federal agencies. He most recently served as the Forest Fire Management officer on the Daniel Boone National Forest in eastern Kentucky, which included a special assignment as a Community Wildfire Mitigation specialist within the Forest Service’s Washington, D.C. headquarters.

This latest assignment marks a return to the WNF for Pascarella, he served as the Assistant Forest Fire Management officer from 2021 to 2022.

A native of St. Marys, West Virginia, Pascarella grew up spending time on both the Wayne and Monongahela National Forests, which inspired him to earn a Bachelor of Science degree in forest resource management from West Virginia University.

The U.S. Forest Service is an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Its mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the country’s 154 national forests and 20 national 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. Its public lands contribute more than $13 billion to the economy each year and provide 20 percent of the country’s clean water supply.

For more information, visit www.fs.usda.gov.