John R. Hawkins, who for 12 years was chief of the Cal Fire Riverside Unit and the Riverside County Fire Department, was suddenly removed from his post on Friday, a Cal Fire spokesman said Friday night.
Daniel Talbot, a deputy chief, on Friday took over as interim county fire chief until a permanent replacement is found, said Mike Mohler, a Cal Fire spokesman.
Information about why the change in leadership was made will be “forthcoming,” Mohler said, but no further information was available Friday night.
Reached by telephone Friday night, Hawkins had no comment on the events of Friday. When asked if he would be moving to another post within Cal Fire, he answered, “I don’t know.”
Mohler said Hawkins is still employed by Cal Fire.