Wildfire DefenseWorks, Owner
In 1981, David graduated from college with a Bachelors in Architecture and moved to Southern California. After five years of working in architecture firms, David sought something different and began work as a seasonal firefighter for California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE). For the next 31 years, he worked to combine these two forms of knowledge as he rose through the ranks in CAL FIRE, from seasonal firefighter up to the Office of the State Fire Marshall.
In 2018, David retired from CAL FIRE as the Staff Chief for the Division of Planning and Risk Analysis. During his five years at the Office of the State Fire Marshall, he oversaw statewide fire prevention programs and came to understand the inner workings of fire policy in California. As one of the leading experts in understanding structural ignition from wildfires, David has helped to develop best practices for wildfire mitigation for communities and property owners. David’s work has been recognized numerous times: as a recipient of CAL FIRE Director’s Outstanding Achievement Award in 2014 and 2015; and a Medal of Valor from Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2007.
Building wildfire resilience is David’s passion, not only his profession. He has incorporated its advancement into his personal life through multiple teaching and volunteering opportunities, in the hope of sharing the lessons that he has learned with upcoming wildfire personnel. David has received a lifetime teaching credential from California Community Colleges and has instructed numerous courses on leadership for CAL FIRE firefighters. In an effort to share his knowledge, David regularly presents on the dynamics of structure ignition to professional wildfire and fire chief associations, such as Fire Rescue International and the International Association for Wildland Fire.
