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Dave Winnacker
Fire Chief at Moraga-Orinda Fire District
Dave Winnacker is a fire service professional and military veteran with an extensive career in both fields. He currently serves as the Fire Chief of the Moraga-Orinda Fire District, a position he has held since 2017.2 Winnacker has been in the fire service for 17 years, demonstrating a long-standing commitment to public safety.2
In addition to his fire service career, Winnacker has a distinguished military background:
- He is a member of the Marine Corps Reserve.1
- From 2014 to 2016, he served as the Commanding Officer of the 4th Force Reconnaissance Company.1
- He has also held the position of Deputy Commander of the 23rd Marine Regiment.15
Winnacker's military service includes deployment to Iraq after the events of 9/11, before he settled into his fire service career.3 His combined experience in both the fire service and military has likely contributed to his leadership skills and expertise in emergency management.
As of July 2024, it was reported that Winnacker would be leaving his position as MOFD Chief to transition to the private sector.4 He noted that his retirement comes after 21 years in uniform, and he planned to continue serving until the end of 2024.4
While the query specifically asks about his role as Assistant Chief of Staff/Inspector General at Marine Forces Reserve Force Headquarters Group, this information is not directly confirmed in the provided search results. However, given his extensive military background and previous leadership roles in the Marine Corps Reserve, it's plausible that he may have taken on this position after his reported retirement from the fire service.
Highlights
Having spent a great deal of time with Frank Frievalt and Nancy Watkins working towards comprehensive solutions to the problem of wildfire losses in our WUI communities, I am increasingly convinced we can do better than fuel breaks as we seek to disrupt the critical vegetative pathways that bring fast moving fire into the built environment. As a distinct part of the comprehensive suite of verifiable risk reduction measures required to create resilient communities through the disruption of the three fire pathways leading to urban conflagration (vegetation-vegetation, vegetation-structure, structure-structure), we have a pressing need to use our limited resources wisely in the face of this growing problem.
With gratitude to my colleagues at the California Fire Chiefs Association, the Western Fire Chiefs Association, and the The Hoover Institution, Stanford University for all of the support they have provided, please take the time to review this piece on fuel break efficacy.
I had the great honor to retire MGySgt Ed Guerrero on Saturday night as we marked his 30 years of honorable and faithful service. A fine American and great Marine who left his mark on generations of young Marines through engaged leadership, empathy for their situations, and a willingness to push them beyond what they thought was possible. Fair winds and following seas brother!
