WA fire chief stepping down from the job

Western Australia's fire chief is stepping down, saying it is time for new challenges.

Wayne Gregson, whose five-year term expires in September, has led major reform at the Department of Fire and Emergency Services but faced criticism over the deadly Yarloop bushfire last year.

The former policeman was considered a possible replacement for Police Commissioner Karl O'Callaghan, whose contract ends in August but posted on social media on Monday that he had not applied for the job.