WEAVERVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — After a nationwide search, Ray Canafax has been named Fire Chief of the town of Weaverville, bringing more than 32 years of fire experience to the position. Canafax will officially step into the role on April 20, 2026.
Previously, Canafax served as deputy fire chief at the City of Huntington Fire Department in West Virginia, a position he retired from in 2024, and has been working with Grayson Volunteer Fire Department in Kentucky since 2025. Canafax holds many fire and rescue training certificates, as well as an associate’s degree in occupational development from Mountwest Community and Technical College in Huntington, West Virginia.
“I am honored to be named the next fire chief for the town of Weaverville. 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,” Canafax said in a press release.
Local leaders have been enthusiastic about the addition of Canafax to the Weaverville public safety team.
“With an advertisement that went nationwide we were very fortunate to end up with several highly qualified candidates from Western North Carolina and other states for the position of fire chief. 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,” Scottie Harris, Weaverville town manager, stated in the release. “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.”
“I’m excited to welcome Fire Chief Canafax to the team. This is an exciting moment for our community, and we look forward to building a strong partnership. As our town continues to grow, the collaboration between our police and fire departments becomes even more important,” said Weaverville Police Chief Somer Oberlin, a member of the fire chief selection panel. “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.”