Southside Fire Department

06/01/2026

Pay attention as you are driving home today. We have numerous trees down with power lines involved along with some flooding. Please use common sense, if there is a barricade in the roadway, it is closed and there likely power lines or something else that can hurt.

05/06/2026

Please join us in lifting up the family of former Mayor Wally Burns in your thoughts and prayers. 20 years as Mayor and 3+ years as a Council Member. His legacy should be remembered as laying the foundation for where we are today as a community. Forever grateful.

Today, our city mourns the loss of a remarkable leader and devoted public servant… former Mayor Wally Burns.

Wally dedicated more than two decades to serving the people of Southside, including 20 years as Mayor. A proud Southside native, Vietnam Veteran, and longtime Goodyear employee, he carried a lifetime of service into everything he did for our community.

During his time in office, Southside saw tremendous growth and progress… from the development of the Southside Sports Complex and community center to major infrastructure improvements, including road paving, new public safety equipment, and expanded city services. He played a key role in strengthening our fire department, enhancing parks and public spaces, and helping shape the city so many of us are proud to call home today.

Wally always put the people of Southside first. His leadership, vision, and steady commitment to doing what was right for this city will leave a lasting impact for generations.

On behalf of our entire community, I extend my deepest condolences to his wife Retha, their daughters, grandchildren, and all who knew and loved him.

Please keep the Burns family in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time… and join us in honoring a life of service that meant so much to Southside.

Joey Statum
Mayor, City of Southside

04/22/2026

04/21/2026

📢STATEWIDE FIRE ALERT REMAINS IN EFFECT📢

Statewide Fire Danger is HIGH today!
The Northern half of the state is classified as a High Fire Danger, while the Southern half has increased to a Very High Fire Danger classification.

We continue to urge everyone to avoid outdoor burning as we remain in drought conditions.

For clarity - this is not a ban on outdoor burning. This is a public notice to increase awareness of the drought conditions. As always, if you are burning over a .25 of an acre, you must obtain a burn permit from AFC's dispatch center.

04/17/2026

Structure Fire

At approximately 3:45 this afternoon, an off duty member spotted a neighbor’s home on fire on Burns Street. E-1, S-1, Rainbow City Fire Department, Whorton Bend Fire Department, Southside Police Department, Etowah County Sheriff's Office ESU, and A-Med Ambulance Service responded. E-1 arrived on scene within 3-minutes of the report and found a working fire. E-1 made entry with 4 crew members. The fire was quickly contained to the kitchen. Unfortunately the family dog passed away from smoke inhalation despite the aggressive efforts to save her. Medics, SSPD, and Dr. Abby Buckner, Gadsden Veterinary Associates Emergency Care worked tirelessly for 40-45 minutes to save the dog. There were no other injuries and no one else was at home at the time of the fire. The home did having working smoke alarms. The cause of the fire appears accidental. Please join us in lifting the family up in your thoughts and prayers.

City of Southside, Alabama

04/17/2026

Every call for help starts here. We couldn’t do what we do without these dedicated professionals as part of our team. Thank you all for everything you do everyday!

04/14/2026

📢With worsening drought conditions across the state and low relative humidity, State Forester Rick Oates has issued a statewide Fire Alert effective immediately.

Over the past weekend, 50 wildfires burned more than 2,300 acres of forestland across the state. This includes a 500-acre wildfire in Mobile County, one for 412 acres in Coosa County, one for 382 acres in Choctaw County, one for 260 acres in Washington County, and another one for 105 acres in Escambia County.

In the last 30 days, 387 wildfires have burned approximately 15,850 acres of forestland across the state.

“With no measurable rain in sight, the continued extremely dry conditions create dangerous wildfire behavior,” said Oates. “These conditions create the potential for fires to escape easily and spread rapidly, taking longer and more of the agency’s firefighting resources to contain. Fast-moving wildfires not only destroy property and forests but also threaten the lives of citizens and endanger firefighters.”

This Fire Alert will remain in effect until rescinded by the State Forester, at least through Monday, April 20. Conditions will be reevaluated at that time. Permits for outdoor burning will be restricted only to Certified Prescribed Burn Managers. Anyone who burns a field, grassland, or woodland without a burn permit may be subject to prosecution for committing a Class B misdemeanor.

The Alabama Forestry Commission is the state agency committed to protecting Alabama’s invaluable forest assets and its citizens. To report a wildfire, call (800) 392-5679. For more information on the current wildfire situation in the state or any other forestry-related issues, contact your local AFC office or visit the agency website at www.forestry.alabama.gov

01/15/2026

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