Dave Russell


Deputy Chief
CALFIRE Tehama/Glenn Unit
Camp Fire Incident Commander


Dave Russell began his career in 1989 as a seasonal firefighter with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. In 1994 Dave accepted a position with the then Montana Department of State Lands as an Engine Boss on the Stillwater State Forest; eventually returning to California in 1998. In 1998, Dave accepted a full-time position with CALFIRE working in multiple programs before his current position as Deputy Chief in the Tehama/Glenn Unit. Chief Russell has served on Type 1 Incident Management Teams since 2009 as a Type 1 Operations Section Chief and currently as the Incident Commander with CAL FIRE Incident Management Team 4.

Dave also serves on the California Interagency Operations Section Chief cadre, Complex Incident Management Course (CIMC) and the course lead for Advanced All Hazard Incident Management Course (AAIM).