Greene County, Alabama (pop. 7,730), in the west Alabama Black Belt, is protected entirely by volunteers. Fourteen volunteer fire departments cover the county's 647 square miles of land: Eutaw, the county seat, the towns of Boligee, Forkland and Union, and rural departments from West Greene and Tishabee to Knoxville, Jena and Mantua-Lewiston. All fire and medical emergencies are dispatched by Greene County E-911 in Eutaw.
Greene County E-911 (main line)
(205) 372-1911- Eutaw Volunteer Fire Department: (205) 372-4934
- Boligee Volunteer Fire Department: (205) 336-8531
- Forkland Volunteer Fire Department: (334) 289-4067
- Eutaw Volunteer Fire Department, 116 Main St (c/o Eutaw City Hall), Eutaw, AL 35462, USA
- al911.gov (Greene County ECD listing)
Who Provides Fire Protection in Greene County
- Eutaw Volunteer Fire Department — the department of the county seat, listed by the Alabama Forestry Commission at Eutaw City Hall on Main Street and by the NERIS registry as volunteer with one station.
- 13 more volunteer fire departments — Boligee, Clinton, Dollarhide, Forkland, Jena, Knoxville, Lower Gainesville, Mantua-Lewiston, Springfield, Steamplant Road, Tishabee, Union and West Greene, each listed by the Alabama Forestry Commission with its own station.
Greene County E-911, based in Eutaw, runs the county's single 911 answering point. Ambulance calls are handled by the Greene County Ambulance Service. 911 sends the right department based on your address.
Fire Departments in Greene County
| Department | Type | Main station | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eutaw VFD | Volunteer | 116 Main St (c/o City Hall), Eutaw, AL 35462 | (205) 372-4934 |
| Boligee VFD | Volunteer | 17176 County Rd 20, Boligee, AL 35443 | (205) 336-8531 |
| Clinton VFD | Volunteer | 3771 County Rd 174, Eutaw, AL 35462 | Not published |
| Dollarhide VFD | Volunteer | 1090 County Rd 150, Boligee, AL 35443 | (205) 372-4822 |
| Forkland VFD | Volunteer | 13319 Hwy 43 N, Forkland, AL 36740 | (334) 289-4067 |
| Jena VFD | Volunteer | 63 County Rd 62, Ralph, AL 35480 | (205) 454-0623 |
| Knoxville VFD | Volunteer | 3080 County Rd 217, Eutaw, AL 35462 | (205) 496-2160 |
| Lower Gainesville VFD | Volunteer | 5227 County Rd 131, Eutaw, AL 35462 | (205) 499-1137 |
| Mantua-Lewiston VFD | Volunteer | 9372 County Rd 60, Eutaw, AL 35462 | (205) 301-0692 |
| Springfield VFD | Volunteer | 194 County Rd 208, Eutaw, AL 35462 | (205) 496-0366 |
| Steamplant Road VFD | Volunteer | 1335 County Rd 18, Forkland, AL 36740 | (334) 289-4848 |
| Tishabee VFD | Volunteer | 311 County Rd 70, Boligee, AL 35443 | (205) 336-8575 |
| Union VFD | Volunteer | 7657 County Rd 191, Eutaw, AL 35462 | (205) 372-3498 |
| West Greene VFD | Volunteer | 5192 County Rd 117, West Greene, AL 35443 | (205) 344-1747 |
Volunteer stations are not always staffed. For anything urgent, call 911 or Greene County E-911 at (205) 372-1911 rather than a station number.
Estimated Response Time
Every department in Greene County is volunteer, so crews must first reach the station before rolling out. In Eutaw, one station covers about 11.9 square miles of land, an average distance to the station of roughly 2.0 miles. The other 13 stations share the remaining 635 or so square miles of rural land (the county averages about 12 residents per square mile), an average radius of roughly 3.9 miles per station.
| Radius | Volunteer departments |
|---|---|
| ≤ 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 10–14 minutes in Eutaw and 12–18 minutes for most rural 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 woodland fire | 2–12+ hours |
Away from Eutaw, many roads have no hydrants, so water comes by tanker and neighboring volunteers are called in; expect the upper end of each range. Woodland fires are fought with the Alabama Forestry Commission. The Tombigbee, Black Warrior and Sipsey rivers form over 90% of the county's boundary. On the night of November 29–30, 2022, an EF-1 tornado hit Eutaw, heavily damaging at least 16 apartments and the Greene County Ambulance Service station. In October 2026, a fire at Greenetrack on County Road 208 was investigated as possible arson.
Apparatus & Equipment
Greene County's volunteer departments do not publish fleet lists.
- Tanker water supply
- Wildland
- Mutual aid
Ratings & Accreditation
ISO Public Protection Classification ratings for Greene County's fire departments 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, and statewide no-burn orders can apply during droughts. Inside Eutaw and the towns, check local rules with the fire department.
Neighboring Counties
- Pickens County, AL (north)
- Tuscaloosa County, AL (northeast)
- Hale County, AL (east)
- Marengo County, AL (south)
- Sumter County, AL (southwest)
FAQ
What is the non-emergency number for fire in Greene County?
Greene County E-911 answers (205) 372-1911. The Eutaw Volunteer Fire Department is listed at (205) 372-4934. For any fire or medical emergency, always call 911.
Which fire departments serve Greene County?
Fourteen volunteer fire departments: Eutaw, Boligee, Clinton, Dollarhide, Forkland, Jena, Knoxville, Lower Gainesville, Mantua-Lewiston, Springfield, Steamplant Road, Tishabee, Union and West Greene. 911 dispatches the right department based on your address.
Does Eutaw have a full-time fire department?
No. The Eutaw Volunteer Fire Department is a volunteer department with one station, listed at 116 Main St, Eutaw.
How fast does the fire department respond in Greene County?
In Eutaw, the first unit usually arrives in about 10–14 minutes. In rural parts of the county, about 12–18 minutes is typical, depending on distance from the nearest volunteer station.
Do I need a burn permit in Greene County?
Burns larger than ¼ acre need an Alabama Forestry Commission permit from (800) 392-5679. Inside Eutaw and the towns, check local rules with the fire department.
Last verified:
- Alabama 911 Board — Emergency Communication Districts (Greene County ECD phone, office, PSAP)
- Alabama Forestry Commission — Volunteer Fire Departments (August 2025) (departments, addresses, phones)
- Alabama Forestry Commission — Burn Permits
- NERIS registry — Eutaw Volunteer Fire Department (volunteer staffing, one station)
- WTVY — EF-1 tornado confirmed in Eutaw (2022)
- ABC 33/40 — Fire reported at Greenetrack (2026)
- Wikipedia — Greene County, Alabama (2020 population, area, neighbors, rivers)
- Wikipedia — Eutaw, Alabama (land area)