La Paz County, Arizona (pop. 16,557), on the Colorado River across from California, is covered by six fire agencies across 4,500 square miles. Buckskin Fire District, which also manages the Parker Fire Department, staffs two engines 24/7 on the Parker Strip; the Colorado River Indian Tribes run their own department; and the La Paz Unified Fire-Medical District, formed in October 2025 from the Quartzsite and McMullen Valley districts, covers about 1,200 square miles of southern La Paz County. Bouse and Ehrenberg have small fire districts.
La Paz County Emergency Management (non-emergency)
(928) 669-6115- La Paz Unified Fire-Medical District (Quartzsite, Salome): (928) 927-6556
- Buckskin Fire District (Parker Strip): (928) 667-3321
- CRIT Fire Department, Station 80 (24/7): (928) 669-2328
- La Paz County, 1108 Joshua Ave, Parker, AZ 85344, USA
- lapaz.gov (La Paz County Emergency Management)
Who Provides Fire Protection in La Paz County
- La Paz Unified Fire-Medical District — formed in October 2025 by merging the Quartzsite and McMullen Valley fire districts. It provides all-hazard fire-rescue and emergency medical service 24/7 over about 1,200 square miles: Quartzsite, La Paz Valley, Rainbow Acres, Brenda, Vicksburg, Hope, Harcuvar, Salome and Wenden, plus I-10, US 95 and US 60.
- Buckskin Fire District — about 32 square miles and some 3,200 permanent residents on the Parker Strip, between Headgate Rock Dam and Parker Dam. Stations 11 and 211 each staff an engine with two personnel around the clock; it answers about 600 calls a year.
- Parker Fire Department (Parker Fire District) — serves the Town of Parker, the county seat, with paramedics and EMTs. Under an intergovernmental agreement, Buckskin provides its administrative and operational management under a shared fire chief.
- Colorado River Indian Tribes (CRIT) Fire Department — the tribal department of the Colorado River Indian Reservation, which spans the river into California, from Station 90 in Poston and the 24-hour Airport Station 80.
- Bouse Volunteer Fire District and Ehrenberg Fire District — small, mostly volunteer districts in Bouse and in Ehrenberg on I-10.
Staffing figures below are as reported to the USFA National Fire Department Registry; they are self-reported and may be out of date (Quartzsite and McMullen Valley still appear separately). Buckskin lists mutual and automatic aid among its services. In an emergency, call 911.
Fire Departments in La Paz County
| Department | Type | Main station | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|
| La Paz Unified Fire-Medical District | Fire district, mostly career (3 stations) | 70 E Tyson St, Quartzsite, AZ 85346 (Station 33) | (928) 927-6556 |
| Buckskin Fire District | Fire district, career staffed (3 stations) | 8500 Riverside Dr, Parker, AZ 85344 (Station 11) | (928) 667-3321 |
| Parker Fire Department | Fire district, paid-on-call | 1101 W Arizona Ave, Parker, AZ 85344 | Not published |
| CRIT Fire Department | Tribal, combination (2 stations) | Station 90, Poston, AZ (8:00–17:00) | (928) 662-4388 |
| Bouse Volunteer Fire District | Mostly volunteer | 44031 Plomosa Rd, Bouse, AZ 85325 | (928) 851-2648 |
| Ehrenberg Fire District | Mostly volunteer | 49100 Ehrenberg-Parker Hwy, Ehrenberg, AZ 85334 | (928) 923-8033 |
Volunteer and paid-on-call stations are not always staffed. For anything urgent, call 911 rather than a station number.
Firefighters by Department
| Department | Career | Volunteer | Paid per call |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quartzsite FD (now La Paz Unified) | 14 | 0 | 8 |
| McMullen Valley FD (now La Paz Unified) | 0 | 15 | 0 |
| Buckskin Fire District | 12 | 3 | 0 |
| Parker Fire Department | 0 | 0 | 30 |
| CRIT Fire Department | 11 | 15 | 0 |
| Bouse Volunteer Fire District | 1 | 0 | 12 |
| Ehrenberg Fire District | 1 | 0 | 9 |
Fire Stations
| Station | Address |
|---|---|
| La Paz Unified Station 33 (HQ) | 70 E Tyson St, Quartzsite, AZ 85346 |
| La Paz Unified Station 233 (Brenda area) | 43940 Avenue 46E, Salome, AZ 85348 |
| La Paz Unified Station 77 (Salome) | 66998 Salome Rd, Salome, AZ 85348 |
| Buckskin Station 11 (HQ) | 8500 Riverside Dr, Parker, AZ 85344 |
| Buckskin Station 211 | 3350 Parker Dam Rd, Parker, AZ |
| Buckskin Station 311 (Wildland Division) | 1016 S Fiesta Ave, Parker, AZ |
| Parker Fire Department | 1101 W Arizona Ave, Parker, AZ 85344 |
| CRIT Station 80 (Airport, 24/7) | Not published |
| CRIT Station 90 | Poston, AZ |
| Bouse VFD | 44031 Plomosa Rd, Bouse, AZ |
| Ehrenberg FD | 49100 Ehrenberg-Parker Hwy, Ehrenberg, AZ 85334 |
Estimated Response Time
We divide each served area among its stations to get an average radius, r ≈ √(area ÷ (stations × π)). On the Parker Strip, Buckskin's two staffed stations share about 32 square miles, roughly 2.3 miles each. In the Town of Parker (22 square miles), the Parker Fire Department's station works out to about 2.6 miles, with paid-on-call crews. La Paz Unified's three stations cover about 1,200 square miles, roughly 11.3 miles each. Bouse, Ehrenberg and the CRIT reservation publish no service areas; across the county's 4,500 square miles (about 3.7 residents per square mile) the 11 stations average about 11.4 miles, a very rough figure.
| Radius | Staffed stations (combination) | 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 7–10 minutes on the Parker Strip, 10–14 minutes in Parker, and 13 minutes or more for most addresses in southern La Paz County away from the stations; remote desert, highway and river locations can take much longer.
Estimated Fire Control Time
| Fire size | Example | Indicative time |
|---|---|---|
| Small | Brush patch, dumpster, small vehicle | 5–20 min |
| Medium | Room-and-contents, RV or car fully involved | 15–45 min |
| Large | Whole house, commercial unit | 45–120 min |
| Major | Multi-alarm, industrial, large wildland fire | 2–12+ hours |
La Paz Unified plans more Type 3 engines and water tenders for initial attack across its rural desert interface and highway corridors, so expect water to come by tender and the upper end of each range away from town. Buckskin's 28-foot rescue/patrol boat and dive team handle emergencies on the Colorado River, where seasonal and tourist crowds swell the Parker Strip.
Apparatus & Equipment
- La Paz Unified engines
- 2
- La Paz Unified water tenders
- 3
- La Paz Unified squads (brush trucks)
- 3
- La Paz Unified rescue
- 1
- La Paz Unified command vehicle
- 1
- Buckskin rescue/patrol boat
- 1
La Paz Unified's fleet includes a 2001 American LaFrance 1,000-gallon engine and a 2022 Rosenbauer 4,000-gallon tender. Buckskin runs fire engines and water tenders, but their number is not published; neither are the Parker, CRIT, Bouse and Ehrenberg fleets.
- Fire suppression
- Paramedic (ALS) EMS
- Dive rescue
- Rope rescue
- Hazmat
- Wildland strike teams
- Water tenders
Ratings & Accreditation
ISO Public Protection Classification ratings for La Paz County's fire departments are not published.
Outdoor burning: La Paz County has no county air agency, so open burning needs a permit from the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) or a delegated local authority under state rule R18-2-602. Permits last up to one year; burn only from one hour after sunrise to two hours before sunset, notify the local fire agency first, and never burn tires, plastics or other prohibited materials. On the Parker Strip, Buckskin issues burn permits after a site inspection. On the CRIT reservation, burning is allowed 10:00–17:00 on weekdays only; call Station 90 to confirm a burn day.
Neighboring Counties
- Mohave County, AZ (north)
- Yavapai County, AZ (northeast)
- Maricopa County, AZ (east)
- Yuma County, AZ (south)
- Imperial County, CA (southwest)
- Riverside County, CA (west)
- San Bernardino County, CA (northwest)
FAQ
What is the non-emergency number for fire in La Paz County?
There is no single county fire line. Call your district: La Paz Unified Fire-Medical District (Quartzsite, Salome) (928) 927-6556, Buckskin Fire District (Parker Strip) (928) 667-3321 or CRIT Fire Department (928) 662-4388. For any fire or medical emergency, always call 911.
Which fire departments serve La Paz County?
Six: La Paz Unified Fire-Medical District, Buckskin Fire District, Parker Fire Department, the Colorado River Indian Tribes Fire Department, Bouse Volunteer Fire District and Ehrenberg Fire District.
Who covers Quartzsite and Salome?
The La Paz Unified Fire-Medical District, formed in October 2025 by merging the Quartzsite and McMullen Valley fire districts. It runs Station 33 in Quartzsite, Station 233 in the Brenda area and Station 77 in Salome.
How fast does the fire department respond in La Paz County?
About 7–10 minutes on the Parker Strip and 10–14 minutes in Parker. In southern La Paz County, each station covers an average radius of about 11 miles, so 13 minutes or more is typical, and remote desert areas take longer.
Do I need a burn permit in La Paz County?
Yes. Open burning needs a permit from ADEQ or a delegated local authority, and you must notify your local fire agency before burning. On the CRIT reservation, call Station 90 at (928) 662-4388 to confirm a burn day.
Last verified:
- La Paz Unified Fire-Medical District (service area, Station 33, phone)
- La Paz Unified Fire-Medical District — District Merger Info
- La Paz Unified Fire-Medical District — Station & Apparatus Info
- La Paz Unified Fire-Medical District — 5-Year Strategic Plan, draft (PDF)
- Buckskin Fire District — About (area, stations, staffing, calls, Parker agreement)
- Buckskin Fire District — Services
- Buckskin Fire District — Location (phone)
- Parker Fire Department (EMS, drill nights)
- Colorado River Indian Tribes — Fire Department (stations, phones, burn rules)
- Bouse Volunteer Fire District (address, phone)
- U.S. Fire Administration — National Fire Department Registry (Arizona download, retrieved October 12, 2026) (departments, staffing, Ehrenberg)
- La Paz County — Emergency Management
- Ariz. Admin. Code R18-2-602 — Unlawful Open Burning (LII)
- Wikipedia — La Paz County, Arizona (2020 Census population, land area, neighbors)
- Wikipedia — Parker, Arizona (town land area)