Clarke County, Alabama (pop. 23,087) is protected entirely by volunteer fire departments. The cities of Jackson and Thomasville run municipal volunteer departments with three and two stations, and nine more volunteer departments, from Grove Hill and Fulton to Coffeeville and Salitpa, cover the rest of the county's 1,238 square miles of rural timber country. All fire and medical emergencies go through Clarke County 911 in Grove Hill, which dispatches the nearest department.
Non-emergency dispatch (Sheriff)
(251) 275-3773- Clarke County 911 District (office): (251) 275-1091
- Thomasville Fire Department: (334) 636-4600
- Clarke County Emergency Management: Not published
- Clarke County 911 Center, Clarke County Courthouse (3rd floor), Grove Hill, AL 36451, USA (mail: P.O. Box 1069)
- clarkecountyal.com/e-911
Who Provides Fire Protection in Clarke County
Clarke County has no career fire department. Every department in the national fire registry for the county is listed as volunteer:
- Jackson Fire Department — the city department of Jackson, the county's largest city (pop. 4,748), with three stations in and around town.
- Thomasville Fire Department — the city department of Thomasville (pop. 3,649), registered with two stations.
- Nine community volunteer departments — Grove Hill, Fulton (two stations), Coffeeville, Antioch, Salitpa, West Bend-Bethel, Opine-Tallahatta Springs, Tri-Community (Whatley) and Winn.
You do not need to know which department covers you: Clarke County 911 sends the right one based on your address.
Fire Departments in Clarke County
| Department | Type | Main station | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson Fire Department | Volunteer, city (3 stations) | 101 E Church St, Jackson, AL 36545 (Station 1) | Not published |
| Thomasville Fire Department | Volunteer, city (2 stations) | 1501 Bashi Rd, Thomasville, AL 36784 | (334) 636-4600 |
| Grove Hill Fire Rescue VFD | Volunteer | 111 S Church St, Grove Hill, AL 36451 | Not published |
| Antioch Fire Department | Volunteer | 113 Antioch Rd, Grove Hill, AL 36451 | (251) 246-2375 |
| Coffeeville VFD | Volunteer | 19 Spring St, Coffeeville, AL 36524 | Not published |
| Fulton VFD | Volunteer (2 stations) | Main St, Fulton, AL 36446 | Not published |
| Opine-Tallahatta Springs VFD | Volunteer | 12070 Tallahatta Springs Rd, Thomasville, AL 36784 | Not published |
| Salitpa VFD | Volunteer | 145 River Crest Rd, Jackson, AL 36545 | (251) 246-2821 |
| Tri-Community Fire Department | Volunteer | 35366 US Hwy 84, Whatley, AL | Not published |
| West Bend-Bethel VFD | Volunteer | 5630 West Bend Rd, Coffeeville, AL 36524 | (251) 276-3270 |
| Winn VFD | Volunteer | Not published | Not published |
Volunteer stations are not staffed around the clock. For anything urgent, call 911 or the Sheriff's dispatch line (251) 275-3773 rather than a station number.
Jackson Fire Department Stations
| Station | Address |
|---|---|
| Station 1 | 101 E Church St, Jackson, AL 36545 |
| Station 2 | 3725 N College Ave, Jackson, AL 36545 |
| Station 3 | 126 Club Wiley Rd, Jackson, AL 36545 |
Estimated Response Time
Clarke County is large and thinly settled, with about 19 residents per square mile. In Jackson and Thomasville, five stations share roughly 25 square miles of city area, an average distance to the nearest station of about 1.3 miles. The other ten or so stations cover some 1,214 square miles of rural land, an average radius of about 6.2 miles. Because every department is volunteer, crews must first reach the station before rolling out, so the volunteer baseline applies everywhere.
| Radius | Volunteer departments (whole county) |
|---|---|
| ≤ 1.5 mi | 8–12 min |
| 1.5–3 mi | 10–14 min |
| 3–6 mi | 12–18 min |
| > 6 mi | 18+ min |
Typical expectation: about 8–12 minutes for most addresses in Jackson and Thomasville, and 12–18 minutes or more in rural areas; remote homes far from a station can wait 18 minutes or longer.
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 woodland fire | 2–12+ hours |
Outside the towns, many roads have no hydrants, so water is shuttled in by tanker and neighboring volunteer departments are called in for larger fires; expect times toward the upper end of each range. Timber is the backbone of the local economy, and the paper mill at Jackson on the Tombigbee River is the largest employer, so woodland and industrial fires are the main large-fire risks. Woodland fires are fought together with the Alabama Forestry Commission.
Apparatus & Equipment
None of the Clarke County departments publishes a fleet list. Station counts come from the national registries: Jackson 3, Thomasville 2, Fulton 2 and one each for the other departments.
Hazards & Preparedness
Clarke County Emergency Management lists severe thunderstorms, tornadoes, hurricanes, winter weather, transportation accidents and hazardous-materials incidents as the county's main hazards. The agency shares alerts on its Facebook page.
Ratings & Accreditation
ISO Public Protection Classification ratings for Jackson, Thomasville and the rural fire districts are not published.
Outdoor burning: In Alabama, a permit from the Alabama Forestry Commission, (800) 392-5679, is required for burns larger than ¼ acre. Burning without a permit is a misdemeanor, and statewide no-burn orders can apply during droughts. Check with city hall before burning inside Jackson or Thomasville.
Neighboring Counties
- Marengo County, AL (north)
- Wilcox County, AL (northeast)
- Monroe County, AL (east)
- Baldwin County, AL (south)
- Washington County, AL (southwest)
- Choctaw County, AL (northwest)
FAQ
What is the non-emergency number for fire in Clarke County?
Call the Clarke County Sheriff's dispatch at (251) 275-3773. For any fire or medical emergency, always call 911.
Does Clarke County have a paid fire department?
No. All eleven registered departments, including the city departments of Jackson and Thomasville, are volunteer departments.
Which fire departments serve Clarke County?
Jackson, Thomasville, Grove Hill, Fulton, Coffeeville, Antioch, Salitpa, West Bend-Bethel, Opine-Tallahatta Springs, Tri-Community and Winn. 911 dispatches the right department based on your address.
How fast does the fire department respond in Clarke County?
In Jackson and Thomasville, the first unit usually arrives in about 8–12 minutes. In rural parts of the county, 12–18 minutes or more is typical, depending on distance from the nearest volunteer station.
Do I need a burn permit in Clarke County?
Burns larger than ¼ acre need an Alabama Forestry Commission permit from (800) 392-5679.
Last verified:
- Clarke County Commission — E-911 (911 Center location)
- Clarke County Commission — Emergency Management (hazards)
- Alabama 9-1-1 Board — Emergency Communications Districts (Clarke County ECD phone)
- Alabama DHR — After-hours emergency numbers by county (2025) (Sheriff's dispatch)
- Alabama Forestry Commission — Burn Permits
- U.S. Census Bureau — Clarke County QuickFacts (population, area)
- NERIS national fire department registry (departments, staffing type, station counts and addresses)
- ResponseRack — Alabama NFIRS FDID list (Clarke County departments, incl. Winn)
- USFireDept.com directory (Antioch, Fulton, Salitpa, West Bend-Bethel: phones, volunteers)
- CountyOffice — Clarke County fire departments (Tri-Community address)
- Thomasville Area Chamber — Municipal directory (Thomasville FD phone)
- Wikipedia — Clarke County, Jackson and Thomasville, Alabama (neighbors, city areas and populations, economy)