Weaverville Names Ray Canafax as New Fire Chief

Ray Canafax spent more than three decades rising through the ranks of the City of Huntington Fire Department in West Virginia, retiring as Deputy Fire Chief in 2024. Now, following a nationwide search, Weaverville has tapped him to lead its fire department, with a start date of April 20.

The Town of Weaverville announced the appointment in mid-March, with the selection listed in materials for the March 23 Town Council meeting. Canafax brings more than 32 years of fire service experience and over 20 years of fire-related training to the role. Since retiring from Huntington, he has been working with the Grayson Volunteer Fire Department, a position he has held since 2025.

His background extends well beyond operational experience. Canafax served as an adjunct instructor at the West Virginia University Fire Service Extension for 19 years and continues to work as an instructor in fire training across several states, a credential that factored prominently into Weaverville's selection process.

Town Manager Scottie Harris said the recruitment drew strong candidates from both Western North Carolina and other states. "The interview process consisted of multiple rounds using internal and external assessors evaluating the candidates, and I am pleased to say Chief Ray Canafax rose to the top," Harris said. "Chief Canafax will bring not only leadership and operational experience, but a strong background in grants and professional development of others. He will be an instrumental part of the team as our fire department and Town grows."

Weaverville Police Chief Somer Oberlin participated on the selection panel and pointed to the town's growth as a reason the police-fire relationship will matter more in the years ahead. "As our town continues to grow, the collaboration between our police and fire departments becomes even more important," Oberlin said. "Together, we will continue to enhance public safety, support one another in the field, and provide the highest level of service to the residents we are proud to serve."

Canafax called the appointment an honor. "I look forward to working alongside the dedicated members of the department and the Town's leadership team to build upon the strong foundation already in place while continuing to provide the highest level of emergency services to our community," he said.