The Schell-Vista Fire Protection District was started during World War II when local farmers were concerned of a possible attack on the mainland.

Five farmers got together and raised enough money to purchase their first Model-A fire engine. Those same five farmers also received donations and built a station located at 2300 Broadway in the unincorporated area of Sonoma Valley.

The Schell-Vista name came to be by combining the names of the communities of Schellville and Buena Vista.

The first chiefs of the district consisted of Chief Dell Lighthill, a local mechanic with Sonoma Machine Works, and Assistant Chief Mitch Mulas, a dairy farmer in the area.

When Chief Lighthill retired, Assistant Chief Mitch Mulas followed in his steps to become the fire chief.

Schell-Vista officially became a fire department in 1955. Today, Schell-Vista Fire Protection District is a combination department that consists of six career employees, a volunteer fire chief, volunteer assistant chief, and a robust group of volunteers.

Our department provides automatic and mutual aid to Napa County, Solano County, and many districts within Sonoma County.

The department protects 4,500 residents over its 110-square-mile district district and responds to nearly 800 emergency calls each year.