Lee County, Alabama (pop. 174,241) is protected by a combination system: the Auburn Fire Division, rated ISO Class 2/2X, and the Opelika Fire Department, with 87 firefighter-EMTs and advanced life support, staff 11 city stations around the clock, while six volunteer departments, including Beauregard, Smiths Station and Salem, cover the rest of the county's 608 square miles of land. Four 911 centers answer emergency calls in the county.
Lee County E-911 Communications District (main line)
(334) 749-6091- Opelika Fire Department: (334) 705-5300
- Opelika police/fire dispatch (non-emergency): (334) 705-5260
- Auburn Emergency Communications (ECD): (334) 501-3101
- Opelika Fire Department HQ, 604 Avenue B, Opelika, AL 36801, USA
- opelika-al.gov — Fire Department
- 911 dispatch: 24 hours, 7 days
Who Provides Fire Protection in Lee County
- Auburn Fire Division — part of the City of Auburn Public Safety Department, with six stations (Station 6 on West Farmville Road was completed in January 2023; Station 1 is in the new Public Safety Complex). At least 21 personnel are on duty each day on three 24-hour shifts, much of it staffed by student firefighters, full-time college students trained to EMT-Basic and Firefighter I/II in a 17-week academy. ISO Class 2/2X.
- Opelika Fire Department — career, 87 state-certified firefighters who are also nationally registered EMTs, providing advanced life support from five stations. It answered 7,037 calls in 2025 and handles hazmat, technical rescue (swiftwater, rope, confined space, trench, vehicle), aircraft rescue and wildland fires. Alabama Fire College Regional Training Center since 2021.
- 6 volunteer fire departments (listed below); member numbers are not published.
Lee County has four 911 centers: the City of Auburn Communications Center, the Opelika Police Department Communications Center (police, fire and EMS, 24/7), the Lee County Sheriff's Office Communications Center for rural areas such as Smiths and Loachapoka, and the East Alabama Medical Center (EAMC) 911 center for ambulance calls. 911 routes your call based on your address.
Fire Departments in Lee County
| Department | Type | Main station | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Auburn Fire Division | Career + student firefighters (6 stations) | Station 1, Public Safety Complex, 359 E Magnolia Ave, Auburn, AL 36830 | (334) 501-3101 |
| Opelika Fire Department | Career (5 stations) | 604 Avenue B, Opelika, AL 36801 (HQ) | (334) 705-5300 |
| Beauregard VFD | Volunteer | 7450 AL Hwy 51, Opelika, AL 36803 | (334) 749-2318 |
| Farmville VFD | Volunteer | 7649 US Hwy 280 W, Auburn, AL 36830 | (334) 821-0011 |
| Plainview VFD | Volunteer | 101 Lee Rd 173, Opelika, AL 36801 | Not published |
| Salem VFD | Volunteer | 8303 US Hwy 280 E, Salem, AL 36874 | (334) 742-9634 |
| Smiths Station Fire & Rescue | Volunteer | 50 Lee Rd 430, Smiths Station, AL 36877 | (334) 297-7151 |
| Southwest Lee County Fire Protection Authority | Volunteer | 2176 Lee Rd 137, Auburn, AL 36832 | (334) 887-8550 |
Volunteer stations are not always staffed. For anything urgent, call 911 rather than a station number.
Auburn and Opelika Fire Stations
| Station | Address |
|---|---|
| Auburn 1 (HQ) | 359 E Magnolia Ave, Auburn |
| Auburn 2 | 1520 Shug Jordan Pkwy, Auburn |
| Auburn 3 | 685 Ogletree Rd, Auburn |
| Auburn 4 | 1299 Stoker St, Auburn |
| Auburn 5 | 234 Technology Pkwy, Auburn |
| Auburn 6 | 1501 W Farmville Rd, Auburn |
| Opelika 1 (HQ) | 604 Avenue B, Opelika |
| Opelika 2 | 1990 Pepperell Pkwy, Opelika |
| Opelika 3 | 1900 Palin Ave, Opelika |
| Opelika 4 | 200 Lake Condy Rd, Opelika |
| Opelika 5 | 4000 Gateway Dr, Opelika |
Sources: City of Auburn, City of Opelika, NERIS registry and RadioReference.
Estimated Response Time
In Auburn, six staffed stations share about 61 square miles of land (1,247 residents per square mile), an average radius of roughly 1.8 miles; in Opelika, five stations cover about 61 square miles, roughly 2.0 miles each. The rest of the county (about 486 square miles, 138 residents per square mile) has at least six volunteer stations, roughly 5.1 miles each, and volunteers must first reach the station.
| Radius | Auburn & Opelika (career) | Rural county (volunteer) |
|---|---|---|
| ≤ 1.5 mi | 4–6 min | 8–12 min |
| 1.5–3 mi | 6–8 min | 10–14 min |
| 3–6 mi | 8–11 min | 12–18 min |
| > 6 mi | 11+ min | 18+ min |
Typical expectation: about 6–8 minutes for most addresses in Auburn and Opelika 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 |
Many rural roads have no hydrants, so water comes by tanker and neighboring volunteers help; expect the upper end of each range outside the cities. Woodland fires are fought with the Alabama Forestry Commission, and Opelika is a member of the Alabama Mutual Aid System.
Apparatus & Equipment
Auburn Fire Division fleet (last published by the city):
- Engines (pumpers)
- 4
- Quints (ladder/pumper)
- 2
- Command vehicle
- 1
Opelika Fire Station 1 (headquarters):
- ALS pumper
- 1
- Ladder truck
- 1
- Reserve rescue
- 1
- Command car
- 1
Other Opelika stations and volunteer fleets are not published.
- Fire suppression
- ALS EMS
- Hazmat
- Technical rescue
- Swiftwater rescue
- ARFF
- Wildland
Ratings & Accreditation
Auburn Fire Division: ISO PPC Class 2/2X (Class 2 within 5 miles of a station and 1,000 feet of a water source; 2X farther than 1,000 feet from water). Opelika Fire Department: ISO class not published by the city. Ratings for the rural volunteer districts are not published.
Outdoor burning: Inside Opelika, the fire department enforces open-burning rules and issues residential and commercial burn permits, (334) 705-5300. Inside Auburn, ask the Auburn Fire Division. Elsewhere 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.
Neighboring Counties
- Chambers County, AL (north)
- Harris County, GA (northeast)
- Muscogee County, GA (east)
- Russell County, AL (south)
- Macon County, AL (southwest)
- Tallapoosa County, AL (northwest)
FAQ
What is the non-emergency number for fire in Lee County?
Lee County E-911: (334) 749-6091. Opelika Fire Department: (334) 705-5300. Auburn Emergency Communications: (334) 501-3101. For any fire or medical emergency, always call 911.
Who fights fires outside Auburn and Opelika?
Six volunteer departments, Beauregard, Farmville, Plainview, Salem, Smiths Station Fire & Rescue and the Southwest Lee County Fire Protection Authority, cover the rest of the county. 911 dispatches the right one based on your address.
What ISO rating does Auburn have?
The City of Auburn reports an ISO Public Protection Classification of Class 2/2X. Opelika's class is not published on the city's website.
How fast does the fire department respond in Lee County?
About 6–8 minutes for the first unit in most of Auburn and Opelika and about 12–18 minutes in rural areas, depending on distance from the nearest volunteer station.
Do I need a burn permit in Lee County?
Burns larger than ¼ acre need an Alabama Forestry Commission permit from (800) 392-5679. Inside Opelika, the fire department issues burn permits at (334) 705-5300; in Auburn, ask the Auburn Fire Division.
Last verified:
- City of Opelika — Fire Department, About Us (personnel, calls, special teams)
- City of Opelika — Fire Station 1 Headquarters (address, phone, apparatus)
- City of Opelika — Fire Department 2025 Stats (calls)
- City of Opelika — Fire Prevention and Safety (burning, permits)
- City of Opelika — Communications (dispatch, phones)
- City of Auburn — CompPlan 2030, Public Safety (stations, ISO)
- City of Auburn — Fire Division Operations (shifts, fleet)
- City of Auburn — Fire Station No. 6
- Alabama 911 Board — Emergency Communication Districts (Lee County and Auburn ECD phones)
- Lee County 911 (911 centers)
- Alabama Forestry Commission — Volunteer Fire Departments (August 2025) (addresses, phones)
- Alabama Forestry Commission — Burn Permits
- NERIS registry — Opelika Fire Department stations
- RadioReference — Lee County (AL) (Auburn station addresses)
- Firehouse — Auburn Public Safety Complex (Station 1, recruit academy)
- Wikipedia — Lee County, Alabama (population, area, neighbors)
- Wikipedia — Auburn, Alabama (population, land area)
- Wikipedia — Opelika, Alabama (population, land area)