Greenlee County, Arizona (pop. 9,563), on the New Mexico state line, is protected by volunteer firefighters. The Clifton Fire Department serves the county seat, the Duncan Valley Rural Fire District covers Duncan and nearby communities in the Gila River valley, and a small Gila/Neblett fire district is also registered. In Morenci, a company town owned by Freeport-McMoRan, a private fire brigade and a mine emergency response team are registered. The county spans 1,843 square miles of land.
Clifton Fire Department (fire dispatch line)
(928) 865-4145- Duncan Valley Rural Fire District: (928) 362-2485
- Greenlee County Sheriff's Office (non-emergency): (928) 865-4149
- Greenlee County Government (main line): (928) 865-2072
- Clifton Fire Department, 200 N Coronado Blvd, Clifton, AZ 85533, USA
- cliftonaz.com/fire-department · duncanfireaz.org
- Greenlee County offices (253 5th St, Clifton): Mon–Thu 7:00–17:00 (MST)
Who Provides Fire Protection in Greenlee County
- Clifton Fire Department — the town's volunteer department, founded in 1909, with 20 volunteer firefighters. It handles fire suppression, emergency medical assistance, rescue, hazardous-materials incidents and public education.
- Duncan Valley Rural Fire District — a volunteer fire district ("Professional Volunteers") with 2 stations. The Town of Duncan joined the district in 2018; Franklin and Sand Wash are also inside it. Sheldon, Apache Grove, York, Guthrie, Loma Linda and Verde Lee are currently outside its jurisdiction.
- Gila/Neblett Fire District — a volunteer district with 1 station and 14 volunteers, registered with a Duncan mailing address.
Figures are as reported to the USFA National Fire Department Registry, which is voluntary and self-reported; the Clifton count is from the town. Ambulance service is provided by Greenlee County EMS. For any emergency, call 911.
Fire Departments in Greenlee County
| Department | Type | Main station | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clifton Fire Department | Volunteer, town (1 station) | 200 N Coronado Blvd, Clifton, AZ 85533 | (928) 865-4145 |
| Duncan Valley Rural Fire District | Fire district, mostly volunteer (2 stations) | 903 SE Old West Hwy, Duncan, AZ 85534 | (928) 362-2485 |
| Gila/Neblett Fire District | Volunteer (1 station) | RT 1 PO Box 224, Duncan, AZ 85534 (mailing) | Not published |
Volunteer stations are not always staffed. For anything urgent, call 911 rather than a station number.
Other Fire Services
- Morenci Fire Department — private/industrial fire brigade, 1 station on US Hwy 191, Morenci; 21 volunteers.
- Phelps Dodge Emergency Response Rescue Team — mine emergency team, 1 station at 4521 N Hwy 191, Morenci; 1 career and 8 volunteer members. The Morenci mine is now owned by Freeport-McMoRan.
Estimated Response Time
Every department here relies on volunteers, who must first reach the station. Method: average radius r ≈ √(area ÷ (stations × π)), mapped to the volunteer baseline. Clifton's single station covers 14.6 square miles of town land, a radius of about 2.2 miles; Duncan (2.15 sq mi) works out to about 0.8 mile and Morenci (0.9 sq mi) about 0.5 mile. The remaining ~1,825 square miles (about 5 residents per square mile, including part of the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest) have 3 more registered stations, roughly 14 miles each — a very rough figure.
| 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 8–12 minutes in Duncan and Morenci, 10–14 minutes in Clifton, and 18 minutes or more for remote ranch and forest 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 brush or forest fire | 2–12+ hours |
Away from the towns, distances are long and help comes from volunteers, so expect the upper end of each range. Wildland fires involve the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management. Flooding is a major hazard: on September 30, 2026, flash floods destroyed a street crossing in Clifton, put up to 3 feet of water on roads in Duncan and closed US 70; the 1983 flood left about 10 feet of water in South Clifton.
Apparatus & Equipment
- Clifton FD stations
- 1
- Duncan Valley RFD stations
- 2
- Gila/Neblett FD stations
- 1
Station counts are from the USFA registry. The departments do not publish fleet lists; the Town of Clifton shows a photo of its Engine 2.
- Structure fire
- EMS assistance
- Rescue
- Hazmat response (Clifton)
Services & Community Programs
- Business fire inspections (Clifton): request through the town's Code Enforcement Officer.
- Permits, plan review and Knox boxes (Duncan area): Duncan Valley Rural Fire District, (928) 362-2485.
- Ambulance: Greenlee County EMS (call 911 in an emergency).
- Volunteer firefighting: both Clifton and Duncan Valley recruit volunteers; Duncan Valley asks for residents aged 18 or older.
Ratings & Accreditation
Duncan Valley Rural Fire District: ISO PPC Class 5/5Y, effective April 1, 2024. Ratings for Clifton and the other departments are not published.
Outdoor burning: Inside the Duncan Valley Rural Fire District (Duncan, Franklin, Sand Wash), get a free open burn permit from the district, (928) 362-2485; no permits are issued or valid in June, July or August unless the fire chief authorizes them. Elsewhere in the county, including Clifton, apply to the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ). Cooking and small recreational fires do not need a permit.
Neighboring Counties
- Apache County, AZ (north)
- Catron County, NM (east)
- Grant County, NM (east)
- Hidalgo County, NM (southeast)
- Cochise County, AZ (south)
- Graham County, AZ (west)
FAQ
What is the non-emergency number for fire in Greenlee County?
The Clifton Fire Department's fire dispatch line is (928) 865-4145, and the Duncan Valley Rural Fire District answers (928) 362-2485. For any fire or medical emergency, always call 911.
Which fire departments serve Greenlee County?
The volunteer Clifton Fire Department, the Duncan Valley Rural Fire District and the Gila/Neblett Fire District. In Morenci, a private fire brigade and a mine emergency response team are registered.
Who issues burn permits in Greenlee County?
Inside the Duncan Valley Rural Fire District (Duncan, Franklin, Sand Wash) the district issues free permits, except in June–August unless the chief allows it. Elsewhere, including Clifton, apply to ADEQ.
How fast does the fire department respond in Greenlee County?
About 8–12 minutes in Duncan and Morenci and 10–14 minutes in Clifton. Remote ranch and forest addresses can wait 18 minutes or more, because all departments rely on volunteers.
What ISO rating does the Duncan Valley Rural Fire District have?
Class 5/5Y, effective April 1, 2024.
Last verified:
- Town of Clifton — Fire Department (founded 1909, 20 volunteers, services, fire dispatch line, ADEQ permits)
- Town of Clifton — Department contacts
- Duncan Valley Rural Fire District (address, phone, recruiting)
- Duncan Valley RFD — Do I Live in the Fire District?
- Duncan Valley RFD — ISO Public Protection Classification
- Duncan Valley RFD — Open Burn Permits
- Duncan Valley RFD — Meet the Fire Chief (Greenlee County EMS)
- U.S. Fire Administration — National Fire Department Registry (Arizona download, retrieved October 12, 2026) (departments, stations, personnel)
- Greenlee County — Emergency Management (county phone, address, hours)
- Arizona Department of Environmental Quality — Open Burn Permits
- Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management
- Morenci Area Listings — Directories (Sheriff and Clifton FD phones and addresses)
- Hoodline — Greenlee County flooding shuts down U.S. 70 (2026)
- Wikipedia — Greenlee County, Arizona (2020 Census population, land area, neighbors, national forest)
- Wikipedia — Clifton, Arizona (land area)
- Wikipedia — Duncan, Arizona (land area)
- Wikipedia — Morenci, Arizona (land area, Freeport-McMoRan ownership)