About Orofino Volunteer Fire Department

Orofino Volunteer Fire Department (est. 1911) provides fire prevention and protection services within the City of Orofino and in outlying Clearwater County, Idaho. Our force of 25–30 active and dedicated firefighters offer up their personal time in order to serve and safeguard their community when called upon to fight both wildland fires and structural fires. OVFD is a branch of the City of Orofino and has mutual aid agreements with the seven smaller fire districts within the County.

OVFD also provides rescue coverage, responding to vehicle accidents to provide extrication, assistance to ambulance crews, and traffic control. Our service area covers 35 miles of Highway 12 along the Clearwater River, a main trucking route, and various state, county, and city roads in Clearwater County.

The population of the City of Orofino is nearly equally distributed on either side of the main stem of the Clearwater River, and OVFD maintains a station on each side of the Clearwater River. Each station is comparably equipped, facilitating a timely first response to incidents in either location. In the event of a severe incident, firefighters and vehicles from both stations are able to respond. Vehicles include three fire engines, three tankers, two wildland quick-attack engines, two rescue trucks, and two command rigs.

The City of Orofino is the county seat of Clearwater County, Idaho. This rural community, situated along the Clearwater River at the confluence of the main stem and the North Fork of the river, is unique among Idaho communities. Clearwater County has a population of about 9,000 permanent residents and no traffic lights. Fewer than four people per square mile live here, less than the density of the eastern seaboard at the founding of the United States. Some of the county lies within the Nez Perce Indian Reservation. 70% of the land is owned by federal or state agencies.

Located within the Orofino Rural Fire District is the tallest straight-axis dam in North America. At 717 feet tall and 3,287 feet long, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers operated Dworshak Dam holds up to 3,468,000 acre-feet of water in its reservoir. The Dam currently houses three generators, which produce up to 450,000 kilowatts of power for the Pacific Northwest region. Orofino Fire Department serves as the only fire protection for the Dam, and also responds to hazardous materials and dangerous gas alarms.

Also within the fire district are two large fish hatcheries. Dworshak National Fish Hatchery is a 45-acre federal facility and is the largest steelhead hatchery in the world. Directly across the North Fork of the river, the Idaho state-operated Clearwater Fish Hatchery sits on 25 acres. OVFD provides the primary fire protection service for both of these facilities.

The presence of these large facilities, the ruggedness of our natural terrain, and the abundance of natural resources make our area attractive and renowned for sporting, recreation, and tourism. Over 150,000 visitors come to our area each year, and while these visitors are here, they are under our protection.

OVFD has seen significant grown since 2002, both in coverage area and the types of structures within the service area. Rural district boundaries have extended to include the Harmony Heights subdivision at the north end of town, and OVFD took over fire protection for the community of Greer, located about eight miles upriver from Orofino, when the Greer Fire Department was dissolved, increasing our service area by approximately 25%. Also, a new 3-story, 49-room hotel was erected in Orofino along the Clearwater River.

The City of Orofino has six gas stations and two fuel depots, two active rail lines, two automobile dealerships, four grocery stores, three public schools and two private schools, five hotels and motels, a hospital with emergency room, two senior living centers, Idaho State Prison, which houses over 500 residents, and the Idaho State Mental Hospital. A busy State Highway 12 also intersects the city as it winds its way along the river. So, while Orofino is far from a metropolis, we deal with many urban-sized facilities and problems.