North Branch Fire Department

06/02/2026

It is with great sadness that we share the passing of retired firefighter Tony Spychalla

Tony dedicated over 23 years of faithful service to the community of North Branch before retiring in 2011. Throughout those years, he served with courage, compassion, and unwavering commitment, touching countless lives along the way.

We are forever grateful for the sacrifices made and the legacy left behind. Please keep the family, friends, and all who had the privilege of serving alongside him in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.

Rest easy, brother. Your service and dedication will never be forgotten.

05/13/2026

Thursday, May 28th from 10:00 am - 3:00 pm, join us at the North Branch City Hall to participate in Chalk the Walk for Hope to spread messages of hope, kindness, and encouragement! There will be free educational and local resource materials available to take with you. Feel free to stop by at anytime to participate!

05/09/2026

We had fun yesterday at North Branch Area Public Schools career day informing the next generation about firefighting! We are always open to opportunities to inform the public about what we do!

05/06/2026

04/27/2026

This weekend, current and retired firefighters came together to celebrate the milestones and achievements of our dedicated members. This year’s honors included:

Watchtower Award — Ashley Gustafson and Donna Brown
* Recognizing their unwavering support, dedication, and commitment to the fire department and its members.

Award of Excellence — Bobby Morelli
* Presented in appreciation of his exceptional loyalty and devoted service to the community.

Most Improved — Thomas Gustafson
* Honoring his outstanding dedication, perseverance, and continued growth.

Retirement Recognition — Preston Lind
* Celebrating his retirement after 11 years of dedicated service.

04/17/2026

Notice to the public: The North Branch Fire Department and Harris Fire Department will initiate a controlled burn near Cedar Crest Trail and Crescent Road tonight; please be advised that smoke in the area is expected and no cause for alarm.

02/12/2026

PSA: We have been informed that Midco removed/will be removing 2 phone lines with North Branch based telephone numbers from their incoming call lines - 651-674-7033 and 651-674-7034. These numbers have history as these were assigned for northern Chisago county years ago when Chisago County had 320 area code in the Rush City area. The correct number to reach our dispatch is 651-257-4100. To reach our records, 651-674-8848 is still good. For those that have the 7033 number saved, written on a wall, tattooed anywhere please make the change. The next phone number owner thanks you!

02/07/2026

Carbon Monoxide alarm not working, or simply don’t have one? Carbon Monoxide is known as the silent killer and going without a working carbon monoxide alarm in your home could be detrimental. Each home should have at least one working CO alarm per floor. The North Branch Fire Department has partnered with the MN State Fire Marshal’s office to hand out free carbon monoxide alarms to all homes in need! For more information or to sign up to have us install carbon monoxide alarms in your home, or to just simply have us check your alarm for proper functioning, message us via facebook or email [email protected]

01/13/2026

Some trainings come with a fun twist! During tonight’s training, we utilized our extrication tools to pass raw eggs around. While our firefighters are highly skilled in the use of these tools, attempting to pick up eggs with them is both challenging and humbling. Eggcellent work done by all!