Apache County, Arizona (pop. 66,021), in the state's northeast corner, covers 11,218 square miles, much of it Navajo Nation land. Navajo Nation Fire & Rescue Services staffs stations in Window Rock, Fort Defiance and Chinle. In the south, Round Valley Fire & Medical serves Springerville and Eagar, St. Johns Emergency Services the county seat, and fire districts including Alpine, Greer, Vernon and Puerco Valley cover rural communities. Call 911 for any emergency.
Dispatch center (non-emergency, as listed by Puerco Valley Fire District)
(928) 337-4321- Navajo Nation Fire & Rescue Services, Fire Chief's Office: (928) 871-6915
- Navajo Nation Police dispatch, Window Rock District: (928) 871-6111
- Round Valley Fire & Medical Department (Eagar/Springerville): (928) 551-6200
- Round Valley Fire & Medical Department, 111 N Butler St, Eagar, AZ 85925, USA
- firerescue.navajo-nsn.gov (Navajo Nation Fire & Rescue Services)
- Vernon Fire District office: Mon–Thu 8:00–15:00 (MST)
Who Provides Fire Protection in Apache County
- Navajo Nation Fire & Rescue Services — the tribal department, founded in 1985 in Fort Defiance, part of the Navajo Nation Division of Public Safety. It fights fires, provides EMS at first-responder and EMT level, technical rescue and hazmat response. In Apache County it runs Station 10 (Window Rock), Station 12 (Fort Defiance) and Station 50 (Chinle), each with one to five paid and one or two volunteer firefighters. Navajo communities without a station are covered by a community fire department or the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
- Round Valley Fire & Medical Department — a shared rural combination department for the towns of Eagar and Springerville (the registry also lists it under its older name, Eagar Fire Department).
- St. Johns Emergency Services — the city department of the county seat.
- Rural departments and fire districts — Alpine, Concho, Ganado, Greer, Puerco Valley (Sanders), Rock Point Community School and Vernon. Puerco Valley Fire District runs full-time, 24/7, over about 2,500 square miles; Vernon Fire District sells a fire subscription to properties outside its boundary.
Most departments mix a few career firefighters with volunteers or paid-on-call members (figures as reported to the USFA registry, which is self-reported and may be out of date). Puerco Valley tells residents to call 911 or the dispatch center at (928) 337-4321. On the Navajo Nation, the Navajo Nation Police lists district dispatch lines for Window Rock and Chinle.
Fire Departments in Apache County
| Department | Type | Main station | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Navajo Nation Fire & Rescue Services | Tribal, combination (3 stations in county) | Station 10, Window Rock, AZ 86515 | (928) 871-6909 |
| Round Valley Fire & Medical Department | Combination (3 career, 30 paid-on-call) | 111 N Butler St, Eagar, AZ 85925 | (928) 551-6200 |
| St. Johns Emergency Services | Combination (2 stations) | 375 S Washington St, St. Johns, AZ 85936 | (928) 337-3070 |
| Alpine Fire Department | Mostly volunteer | 42688 US Hwy 180, Alpine, AZ 85920 | (928) 339-4814 |
| Concho Volunteer Fire Department | Volunteer (paid-on-call) | 20 County Rd 5069, Concho, AZ 85924 | (928) 337-2681 |
| Ganado Fire District | Mostly volunteer (3 stations) | State Hwy 264, Ganado, AZ 86505 | (928) 755-3424 |
| Greer Fire District | Combination (2 stations) | 38974 Hwy 373, Greer, AZ 85927 | (928) 735-7279 |
| Puerco Valley Fire District | Mostly career, 24/7 (2 stations) | 105 US-191, Sanders, AZ 86512 | (928) 688-3616 |
| Rock Point Community School Fire Department | Volunteer (paid-on-call) | Hwy 191, Rock Point, AZ 86545 | Not published |
| Vernon Fire District | Combination (2 stations) | Station 25, 25 County Rd 3142, Vernon, AZ 85940 | (928) 537-4895 |
Small stations are not always staffed. For anything urgent, call 911 rather than a station number.
Navajo Nation Fire Stations in Apache County
| Station | Community | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| Station 10 | Window Rock, AZ 86515 | (928) 871-6909 |
| Station 12 | Fort Defiance, AZ | (928) 729-4062 |
| Station 50 | Chinle, AZ 86503 | (928) 674-2105 |
Other fire services
- U.S. Forest Service, Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests (Springerville) — federal wildland, 13 stations, 150 career firefighters (forest-wide)
- Petrified Forest National Park — federal, 2 stations
- Rough Rock Volunteer Fire Department — federal (registry), 1 station, 8 volunteers
Estimated Response Time
With only about 5.9 residents per square mile, Apache County is rural throughout. Spreading the 18 public stations over 11,198 square miles of land gives an average radius of roughly 14 miles per station (r ≈ √(area ÷ (stations × π))), a very rough figure because much of that land is forest and open range far from any station. Puerco Valley's two stations cover about 2,500 square miles, roughly 20 miles each. Addresses inside St. Johns, Eagar, Springerville, Window Rock or Chinle are usually within a few miles of a station.
| Radius | Staffed stations | Volunteer / paid-on-call |
|---|---|---|
| ≤ 1.5 mi | 5–8 min | 8–12 min |
| 1.5–3 mi | 7–10 min | 10–14 min |
| 3–6 mi | 9–13 min | 12–18 min |
| > 6 mi | 13+ min | 18+ min |
Typical expectation: about 5–10 minutes near a staffed station in town, and 18+ minutes, often much longer, for most rural and remote addresses.
Estimated Fire Control Time
| Fire size | Example | Indicative time |
|---|---|---|
| Small | Grass patch, dumpster, small vehicle | 5–20 min |
| Medium | Room-and-contents, car fully involved | 15–45 min |
| Large | Whole house, commercial unit | 45–120 min |
| Major | Multi-alarm, industrial, large forest fire | 2–12+ hours |
Outside the towns most homes have no hydrants, so water comes by tender (Vernon Fire District runs a tender volunteer program) and neighboring departments help; expect the upper end of each range. Fires in the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests around Alpine, Greer and Vernon are fought with the U.S. Forest Service.
Apparatus & Equipment
None of Apache County's fire departments publishes a fleet list online.
- Fire suppression
- EMS
- Hazmat (Navajo Nation)
- Technical rescue (Navajo Nation)
- Wildland
Ratings & Accreditation
ISO Public Protection Classification ratings for Apache County's fire departments are not published.
Outdoor burning: Outside Maricopa, Pima and Pinal counties, open burn permits come from the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (free, online, valid one year) or, in some areas, from the local fire department. Vernon Fire District issues its own $10 annual permit at its office. ADEQ does not regulate tribal land: on the Navajo Nation, ask the nearest Navajo Nation fire station. Seasonal fire restrictions can apply countywide.
Neighboring Counties
- San Juan County, UT (north)
- Montezuma County, CO (northeast)
- San Juan, McKinley, Cibola and Catron counties, NM (east)
- Greenlee County, AZ (south)
- Graham County, AZ (south)
- Navajo County, AZ (west)
FAQ
What is the non-emergency number for fire in Apache County?
Puerco Valley Fire District lists the dispatch center at (928) 337-4321. On the Navajo Nation, the Fire & Rescue Services chief's office is (928) 871-6915. For any fire or medical emergency, always call 911.
Who fights fires on the Navajo Nation in Apache County?
Navajo Nation Fire & Rescue Services, with stations in Window Rock (Station 10), Fort Defiance (Station 12) and Chinle (Station 50). Other Navajo communities are covered by a community fire department, such as Ganado or Rock Point, or by the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
Who provides fire service in Springerville and Eagar?
The Round Valley Fire & Medical Department, a shared combination department at 111 N Butler St, Eagar, serves both towns. Its office number is (928) 551-6200.
How fast does the fire department respond in Apache County?
About 5–10 minutes near a staffed station in town. With an average radius of roughly 14 miles per station across the county, most rural addresses should expect 18 minutes or more.
Do I need a burn permit in Apache County?
Yes. Get a free ADEQ open burn permit online, or a permit from your fire department where it issues them; Vernon Fire District charges $10 a year. On the Navajo Nation, ask the nearest Navajo Nation fire station.
Last verified:
- U.S. Fire Administration — National Fire Department Registry (Arizona download, retrieved October 12, 2026) (departments, addresses, phones, stations, personnel)
- Navajo Nation Fire & Rescue Services — About (history, services, stations, staffing)
- Navajo Nation Fire & Rescue Services — Contact Us (station phones)
- Navajo Nation Police (district dispatch lines)
- Town of Eagar — Round Valley Fire & Medical Department (address, phone, service area)
- Puerco Valley Fire District (address, phone, 24/7 staffing, 2,500 sq mi, dispatch)
- Vernon Fire District (station, phone, hours, burn permits, subscription)
- Arizona Department of Environmental Quality — Open Burn Permit
- Wikipedia — Apache County, Arizona (2020 Census population, area, neighbors)