MENDOCINO CO., 10/12/25 – The Anderson Valley Fire Department turns platinum Saturday when it celebrates its 70th anniversary with a free community gathering in Boonville.
Founded in 1955, the department serves as a lifeline for the many residents and visitors to Anderson Valley.
“We can all vaguely remember when the ambulance was just a station wagon, calls went to a phone in a volunteer’s home, and some responders kept an engine at home for quicker response, or the old redwood barns along the highway that sheltered an apparatus,” the department said. “We’ve come a long way.”
Today, the department provides both fire and emergency services stretching from Navarro to Yorkville — covering areas as diverse as mountain tops and vineyard-covered valleys.
It has six fire stations, 22 engines and two ambulances. According to the department, it fields an average of 300 emergency calls annually, including car accidents, health emergencies and wildfires.
To celebrate this milestone anniversary, the department is hosting a celebration with free food and non-alcoholic beverages, games, a bounce house, storytelling and more. Beer will be available for purchase.
The celebration takes place Saturday from 1 to 4 p.m. at Anderson Valley Brewing Company, 17700 Boonville Road, Boonville. Call (707) 895-2020 for more information.