Northwest Fire District is a career fire district protecting about 137,900 residents of the Town of Marana and unincorporated Pima County northwest of Tucson, Arizona, across roughly 155 square miles. It runs 11 stations with engine, ladder and paramedic rescue companies, provides advanced life support (ALS) ambulance transport, and hosts a Type 2 hazardous materials team, a technical rescue team and a wildland team. The district holds an ISO Class 1/1Y rating and is accredited by the Commission on Fire Accreditation International (CFAI).
Administration (non-emergency)
(520) 887-1010- Administration Offices, 13535 N. Marana Main Street, Marana, AZ 85653, USA
- nwfdaz.gov
- contact@nwfdaz.gov
- Office: Mon–Thu 7:00–17:00 (MST, no daylight saving)
- Ambulance billing (Digitech): (877) 865-7417
The district was created by a local election in 1983 under Arizona's fire district law (ARS Title 48); before that, the area relied on a private subscription fire service. It merged with the Flowing Wells Fire District in 1996. Of the residents served, about 45% (62,780) live in the Town of Marana and 55% (75,121) in unincorporated Pima County. The 2025 Community Risk Assessment – Standards of Cover (CRA-SOC) lists 198 employees in its two battalions and 60 positions staffed every day. The district handled 19,677 calls in FY2023-24; about 80% of calls are medical.
Services Offered
- Fire suppression and rescue with Type 1 engines and 100-ft ladder trucks staffed by four
- Emergency medical services: every firefighter is cross-trained as an EMT or paramedic; Arizona DHS "Premier" EMS agency
- ALS ambulance transport (district-run since 2015)
- Hazardous materials: NIMS Type 2 team, member of the Pima Regional Hazardous Materials Team
- Technical rescue: swift water, high and low angle, confined space and trench; part of the Tucson-area (TUASI) Rapid Response Team
- Wildland and interface fire response, with Type 3 engine deployments in Arizona and other states
- Aircraft rescue and firefighting (light ARFF truck) for Marana Regional Airport
- Fire prevention: inspections, plan review and permits under the 2018 International Fire Code, plus fire investigation
- Community Assistance Program (CAP) for non-emergency follow-up
Stations
| Station | Address | Units |
|---|---|---|
| 330 | 1520 W Orange Grove Rd, Tucson, AZ 85704 | Engine, rescue |
| 331 | 4701 N La Cholla Blvd, Tucson, AZ 85705 | Engine, ladder, rescue, BC |
| 332 | 4151 W El Camino del Cerro, Tucson, AZ 85745 | Engine, brush, tender |
| 333 | 2821 W Ina Rd, Tucson, AZ 85741 | Engine, rescue, hazmat |
| 334 | 8165 N Wade Rd, Marana, AZ 85743 | Engine, rescue, TRT squad |
| 335 | 3220 N Camino de Oeste, Tucson, AZ 85745 | Engine, brush |
| 336 | 13475 Marana Main St, Marana, AZ 85653 | Engine, tender, ARFF |
| 337 | 13931 N Dove Mountain Blvd, Marana, AZ 85658 | Engine, brush |
| 338 | 8475 N Star Grass Dr, Tucson, AZ 85742 | Engine, ladder, rescue, BC |
| 339 | 12095 N Thornydale Rd, Marana, AZ 85658 | Engine |
Show all stations
| Station | Address | Units |
|---|---|---|
| 341 | 10350 W Tangerine Rd, Marana, AZ 85653 | Engine, tender |
Units as listed on each station's page (BC = battalion chief). Station 331 houses the South Battalion (stations south of Ina Road) and Station 338 the North Battalion.
Response Times
The district publishes 90th-percentile times in its CRA-SOC (data update March 2025). In FY2023-24 the first unit arrived, counted from call pick-up, within 8:45 on 90% of urgent ALS medical calls in urban areas (4,579 calls) and within 11:06 in rural areas (328 calls). For moderate-risk fires such as house fires, the figures were 8:30 urban (62 fires) and 16:28 rural (only 9 fires). The district's benchmarks are 9:15 urban and 11:15 rural. About 32% of the district is urban and 68% rural by Census definition.
For comparison with other departments we also estimate the average station radius: r ≈ √(155 ÷ (11 × π)) ≈ 2.1 miles. With about 890 residents per square mile, the district as a whole falls in the suburban class.
| Radius | Urban core | Suburban (district average) | Rural edges |
|---|---|---|---|
| ≤ 1.5 mi | 4–6 min | 5–8 min | 8–12 min |
| 1.5–3 mi | 6–8 min | 7–10 min | 10–14 min |
| 3–6 mi | 8–11 min | 9–13 min | 12–18 min |
| > 6 mi | 11+ min | 13+ min | 18+ min |
Typical expectation: about 7–10 minutes in most of the district, in line with the published 8–9 minute urban figures; 11 minutes or more in outlying rural areas.
Estimated Fire Control Time
| Fire size | Example | Indicative time |
|---|---|---|
| Small | Brush 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 wildland fire | 2–12+ hours |
A residential structure fire gets four engines, a rescue, a command officer and an EMS captain acting as safety officer, plus a ladder truck for multi-story buildings. Where hydrants are more than 1,000 feet away, water tenders carrying about 2,700 gallons each run shuttle operations.
Apparatus & Equipment
Resource count for FY2023-24, both battalions (CRA-SOC):
- Engine companies
- 11
- Peak-activity engine
- 1
- Ladder trucks (100 ft)
- 2
- ALS ambulances (rescues)
- 7
- Brush trucks
- 4
- Water tenders
- 2
- Battalion chief trucks
- 2
- Safety officer trucks
- 2
- Special operations squad
- 1
- Light squad and UTV
- 1
- Air/power truck
- 1
- Rehab truck
- 1
The same table lists 3 AMR basic life support ambulances. The district website also describes a hazmat command truck, a light ARFF truck, a Metropolitan Medical Response System (MMRS) mass-casualty truck and an equipment truck, and older figures of 3 tenders and 4 rescues. Engines carry 500 gallons of water with a 1,250 gpm pump; some use compressed-air foam.
- ALS EMS
- Ambulance transport
- Hazmat
- Technical rescue
- Swift-water rescue
- Wildland
- ARFF
Ratings & Accreditation
ISO PPC: Class 1/1Y (effective July 1, 2019; kept in a 2024 regrade). CPSE/CFAI accredited: Yes, fourth consecutive accreditation in 2023, next review due 2028. Arizona DHS Premier EMS agency.
Community Programs & Burn Permits
Programs include hands-only CPR classes, a babysitter course, car safety seat inspections, ride-alongs and a fire safety program in elementary schools. The district also provides fire prevention services by agreement to parts of the Town of Marana outside its boundary and to Rincon Valley Fire District.
Outdoor burning: Pima County DEQ requires a permit for most open burning, (520) 724-7400; campfires and barbecues are exempt. Wildland fire on state and private land: Arizona DFFM.
Neighboring Fire Departments
- All fire departments in Pima County, Arizona
- Tucson Fire Department (automatic-aid partner)
- Golder Ranch Fire District (automatic-aid partner)
- Picture Rocks Fire District (mutual aid from Station 334)
- Avra Valley Fire District
FAQ
What is the non-emergency number for Northwest Fire District?
(520) 887-1010, the administration offices at 13535 N. Marana Main Street, Marana, open Monday to Thursday, 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM. In an emergency, call 911.
What area does Northwest Fire District cover?
About 155 square miles of the Town of Marana and unincorporated Pima County northwest of Tucson, with about 137,901 residents (FY2023-24), from 11 stations.
How fast does Northwest Fire respond?
In FY2023-24 the first unit arrived within 8:45 on 90% of urgent medical calls in urban areas and within 11:06 in rural areas, counted from call pick-up.
What ISO rating does Northwest Fire District have?
ISO Class 1/1Y since July 1, 2019. The district is also accredited by the Commission on Fire Accreditation International.
Do I need a burn permit in Northwest Fire District?
Yes, for most open burning: get it from Pima County DEQ, (520) 724-7400. Campfires and barbecues are exempt.
Last verified:
- Northwest Fire District — About (stations, area, governance)
- Northwest Fire District — Contact (phone, address, hours, email)
- Northwest Fire District — Stations (station pages: addresses, units)
- Northwest Fire District — CRA-SOC, FY2024 data update (March 2025) (population, area, staffing, resources, response times)
- Northwest Fire District — Response Vehicles
- Northwest Fire District — Emergency Medical Services
- Northwest Fire District — Ambulance Transport (billing)
- Northwest Fire District — Hazardous Materials
- Northwest Fire District — Technical Rescue
- Northwest Fire District — ISO Rating
- Northwest Fire District — Accreditation
- U.S. Fire Administration — National Fire Department Registry (FDID 11123, retrieved October 12, 2026)
- Pima County DEQ — Open Burning