Hellsgate Fire Department

07/20/2026

Tomorrow morning at 6:00 A.M the U.S Forest Service- Tonto National Forest will be lifting all fire restrictions due to recent continued moisture throughout the forest!

Hellsgate Fire Department, is simply sharing this information and would encourage everyone to remain vigilant, to check your chains before traveling, and to enjoy our beautiful forest safely,and responsibly.

07/15/2026

Flash flooding and heavy rain likely over the next few days please exercise caution ⚠️

Remember turn around don’t drown!

07/13/2026

Our crew which was assigned to Arizona Strike Team 3 has arrive home safely after 21 days!

We thank them for their hard work and dedication while serving our state on the Pocket Fire located just outside Sedona!

We are proud of their efforts and their dedication to serve! Welcome home!

07/08/2026

Hellsgate Fire E21 was dispatched to a car hauler on fire with multiple vehicles involved including a Tesla electric vehicle! Thanks to our mutual/ automatic aid partners for their assistance!

A semi-truck transporting vehicles caught fire Monday evening on State Route 260 east of Payson, blocking traffic and sending a large plume of smoke into the sky.

07/04/2026

🇺🇸 Happy Independence Day from Hellsgate Fire Department! 🇺🇸

Today, as we celebrate the 4th of July, we honor the courage, sacrifice, and vision of those who declared our nation’s independence and laid the foundation for the freedoms we continue to enjoy today.

This year is especially meaningful as America celebrates 250 years of independence, a proud milestone in our nation’s history. For two and a half centuries, generations of Americans have answered the call to serve, protect, build, and defend this great country.

As we gather with family, friends, and neighbors to celebrate our nation’s birthday, Hellsgate Fire Department reminds everyone to do so safely and responsibly. Please follow all current fire restrictions, avoid any activity that could create sparks or flames, and remember that one small spark can quickly become a dangerous wildfire in our dry Arizona conditions.

From all of us at Hellsgate Fire Department, we wish you a safe, proud, and patriotic Independence Day.

God bless our community, our first responders, our military, and the United States of America. 🇺🇸

06/30/2026

Today, we pause to remember and honor the Granite Mountain 19.

On June 30, 2013, nineteen members of the Granite Mountain Hotshots made the ultimate sacrifice while battling the Yarnell Hill Fire. Their courage, dedication, and commitment to protecting others will never be forgotten.

Their legacy lives on in every firefighter who answers the call, every crew that steps onto the line, and every community that remembers their sacrifice.

We honor their families, their brothers and sisters in the fire service, and the lasting impact these heroes left behind.

Never forgotten. Always honored.

Granite Mountain 19
06.30.13

06/30/2026

Tomorrow morning at 8:00 A.M the entire Tonto National Forest will be entering Stage 2 Fire Restrictions. This also now apply’s for any private property within Gila County! Please do your part to help ensure the safety of our communities and forest we love to enjoy!

Any violations of fire restrictions will result in possible fines, or jail sentence by our law enforcement partners!

06/29/2026

Hellsgate Fire Department extends our deepest condolences to our brothers and sisters and their families during this difficult time!

The U.S. Forest Service joins family members, friends, colleagues and the entire wildland fire community in mourning the loss of three wildland firefighters who died Saturday, June 27, as part of an interagency response to the Knowles and Gore fires along the Colorado-Utah border. Two additional firefighters sustained injuries and are in our thoughts as they receive medical care.

We extend our unwavering support to the families of the fallen, the injured firefighters, and their fellow crew members during this difficult time.

We stand with the U.S. Wildland Fire Service and our interagency partners in honoring the dedication, professionalism, and sacrifice of these firefighters. Their commitment to protecting the public, communities, and natural resources exemplifies the highest ideals of public service.

An interagency review and investigation of the incident is ongoing. Additional details will be shared as they are able to be released.

06/29/2026

After deploying as part of an Arizona wildland strike team, our Type 3 Wildland Engine and crew has now been reassigned through the national resource ordering system and is en route to the Pocket Fire near Sedona.

As wildfire activity changes, firefighting resources are continually evaluated and strategically moved to the areas of greatest need. We are proud to have our firefighters representing Hellsgate Fire Department while now assisting fellow Arizona communities during this active fire season.

Please join us in wishing our crew a safe and successful assignment. We appreciate their dedication and professionalism as they continue protecting lives, property, and Arizona’s natural resources.
Stay safe!

Please note: Hellsgate does not deploy resources unless staffing, apparatus availability, and emergency response coverage within our district remain intact. While this assignment is underway, we continue to maintain several wildland-capable apparatus and personnel here at home, ready to respond to emergencies within our community.

These deployments are coordinated through established state and national resource systems that allow fire departments to support one another during periods of increased fire activity. They also provide valuable experience, training, and reimbursement revenue that helps support local operations and preparedness.

Should conditions here at home require additional resources, the system allows for those needs to be addressed quickly. Just as we assist other communities when they face significant fire threats, we know that assistance will be available should our community ever need it.

Our commitment remains to the people of the Hellsgate Fire District and the protection of the community we proudly serve.

06/27/2026

Hellsgate Fire Department E21 along with other mutual aid partners were dispatched to the area of Mountain View Road and Highway 260 for a possible shed on fire. E21 arrived on scene to find a well involved trailer on fire. E21 was able to get a quick knock down on the fire. We are thankful for our mutual aid and automatic aid partners who assisted during this incident! Thanks to this mutual cooperation Rim Country is safer.

Payson Fire responded with Hellsgate Fire Department, Pine-Strawberry Fire District, Christopher-Kohls Fire District and Payson Police Department to the area of Pinion and Hwy 260 for a reported structure fire last night at about 9:15 pm.
Engine 21 arrived on scene to find a camp trailer well involved with fire. The fire had extended to the grass on the lot and was endangering another RV, a shed and the neighboring property. An aggressive fire attack was initiated that contained the fire and quickly extinguished the fire. The cause of the fire is under investigation and there were no injuries.
Another example of Rim Country firefighters working together to keep the community safe.