New eco-friendly fire station opens in Jacumba

by Karen Pearlman | June 3, 2026 9:10 pm

Photos courtesy County of San Diego

East County News Service

June 3, 2026 (Jacumba) — San Diego County officials and fire chiefs recently gathered in the county’s high desert area  to break ground on a new, state-of-the-art county fire station.

Fire Station 43, spearheaded by San Diego County Fire and the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) marks a huge upgrade for emergency response infrastructure in an area that is increasingly threatened by extreme weather and intense wildfire seasons.

The upcoming 7,100-square-foot facility is expected to officially open its doors the the rural Jacumba community sometime in 2027, replacing outdated infrastructure to better protect local residents as well as become a high-volume transit corridor.

“This fire station is pivotal to the protection of the backcountry,” said District 2 San Diego County Supervisor Joel Anderson. “It is essential that we continue to invest in fire stations like this one to protect and support our communities.”

Jacumba Hot Springs is about 70 miles east of downtown San Diego, and runs along the United States-Mexico border. Jacumba has a rich history, unique high-desert environment and small-town charm. Highly isolated and flanked by Interstate 8 and Old Highway 80, it has geographical challenges and high incidence of wind-driven roadside fires.

Because of its rugged, arid terrain, the eastern backcountry is on the front lines of San Diego County’s wildfire defense network, easily threatened because critical resources are often far away.

The importance of Station 43

The regional strain on emergency services makes the new station a pivotal development.

Station 43 will provide a direct launchpad for fast intervention along Interstate 8, significantly cutting down response times for backcountry medical crises and fast-moving brush fires.

The investment in Jacumba reflects a broader, multi-year push by San Diego County to shore up fire protection in its unincorporated areas.

Historically, regional fire protection in the rural backcountry relied on a patchwork of volunteer departments. Following devastating fire storms in the 2000s, the county aggressively consolidated these forces under the unified umbrella of San Diego County Fire, partnered closely with CAL FIRE.

The county’s fire grid has grown to include new or upgraded fire stations in areas like Campo, Boulevard, Pine Valley and Potrero. Upgrading these far-flung outposts into fully staffed, modern facilities has been crucial to keeping initial attack capabilities strong enough to catch 95% of wildfires at 10 acres or less.

“We have a simple oath- to serve our communities and this fire station will give us the ability to do that for many years to come,” CAL FIRE San Diego Unit Chief Tony Mecham told County officials.

“While people see firefighting as our primary mission, in a rural area like this one, we are also a primary health provider. We deliver pre-hospital and emergency medical care. The new Fire Station 43 will allow our crews to do that more efficiently and effectively.”

More on the station

Beyond emergency logistics, the new Fire Station 43 is being built as a model for environmental sustainability. The facility will feature two large truck bays, a welcoming lobby, an office, an on-site gym, a full kitchen, a dining room and a day room alongside six private dorm rooms for rotating crews.

San Diego County Supervisor Joel Anderson and CAL FIRE San Diego Unit Chief Tony Mecham shake hands at the groundbreaking of Fire Station 43 in Jacumba

The project’s design parameters align directly with the County’s strict green-building mandates of Zero Net Energy with extensive solar panel arrays and commercial battery storage, is LEED Gold Standard with construction materials and water-efficiency systems designed to minimize the station’s carbon footprint.

The project also highlights a unique public-private partnership.

The land for the new facility was donated entirely by SolaREIT[1], a solar real estate investment fund, in coordination with the Jacumba Valley Ranch Energy Park[2], the  commercial solar energy project currently under construction in Jacumba.

County Fire Director Jeff Collins told County officials that the facility matches the ongoing revitalization efforts taking place within Jacumba.

“Jacumba is remarkable for its history, small-town character, and natural environment,” Collins said. “The new fire station will meet the community’s expectation while enhancing the safety and resilience of the area.”

Source URL: https://eastcountymagazine.org/new-eco-friendly-fire-station-opens-in-jacumba/

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