Avenal council to vote on fire department’s future

AVENAL, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – The small town of Avenal may soon see major changes to its fire protection services as city leaders consider a proposal to terminate their contract with the Kings County Fire Department and instead launch their own volunteer-based fire department.

According to city officials, the proposal stems from rising operational costs. Avenal Assistant Police Chief and Public Safety Manager Robert Nevarez says the city was notified of an increase in charges from the county to continue fire services.

“We found out that there was going to be an increase in the amount that was going to be charged by the county to the city to continue fire operations,” Nevarez said.

Nevarez says if the change moves forward, the city would still work closely with Kings County and various other local fire departments. But some firefighters and residents say the shift still raises safety concerns.

“Right now, they call 911, we’re going to show up,” said Kings County Firefighter Dolly Silveira. “If they transition to a volunteer department, who knows if the volunteers are going to show up. It’s all dependent on if someone can respond and when they can respond.”

Silveira says the city’s current coverage is critical, especially given the department’s workload. In 2024, Kings County Fire responded to 679 incidents in Avenal.

While Nevarez says no final decision has been made, he says that any changes would still involve a step-by-step process.

“There’s a lot of steps in this plan, and we’re going to make sure we step through all of them before we make any changes,” Nevarez said. “Should we proceed in the direction of our own fire department, we would still work closely with Kings County and various other local fire departments through mutual aid agreements.”

The Avenal City Council is expected to make a final decision during a public meeting scheduled for Thursday at 5:15 p.m. The meeting will be held at the Avenal Theatre on King Street.