Nevada Division of Forestry State Forester and Fire Warden Kacey KC is leaving the division to serve as head of the Oregon Department of Forestry.

Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek announced the appointment Thursday. It was first reported by the Central Oregon Daily News, and a spokesperson for the division confirmed her departure Friday to The Nevada Independent.

KC will assume the role of Oregon state forester and director of the Oregon Department of Forestry on March 1, pending approval of the Oregon Senate next month.

KC would be the first woman to lead the agency in Oregon.

“Kacey KC brings tenacity and a get-it-done style to her management approach and knows how to build strong partnerships across all levels of government to tackle complex challenges,” Kotek said in her announcement.

KC has served as Nevada’s state forester and fire warden since 2018. In 2021, she was assigned to the Wildland Fire Mitigation and Management Commission established by Congress to advance the nation’s wildfire protection system, and in 2023, KC was appointed the president of the National Association of State Foresters.

“Kacey is a great resource and has been a valuable asset to Nevada throughout her career,” James Settelmeyer, director of Nevada’s Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, said in a text. “Though we hate to see her go, we wish her the best in all of her endeavors.”

KC has faced challenges in Nevada; last year, an audit of the division showed it failed to bill $33 million in out-of-state firefighting costs. The division has since been working toward updating its billing system and staffing to right the shortfall.

This is a breaking news story and will continue to be updated.