PAULDEN, AZ (AZFamily) — There are renewed concerns after a fire earlier this week ripped through four homes in Paulden, a community about 25 miles north of Prescott.

Since Paulden doesn’t have a fire department, a subscription fire service is available to respond to fires in the area. Central Arizona Fire and Medical Authority, or CAFMA, covers multiple municipalities in Yavapai County, including Paulden.

The homes that burned yesterday did not pay to subscribe to that service, delaying fire crews fighting the flames.

Property taxes do not cover fire responses for those living outside their fire district. So, homeowners have to pay an annual fee in exchange for fire coverage. But people in the area say many people can’t afford it.

“I have seen houses burn down in Paulden where the sheriff’s department is just watching it burn. No fire department in sight,” said Jane Anderson, who lives in the area.

People in Paulden say this is not the first time the fire district has been unable to respond to a fire. Yellowstone Road, where the fire happened, is not part of the fire district.

Four homes burned after one caught fire on Thursday; the flames spread fast from the wind, engulfing nearby homes.

“I feel horrible that it happened. It was bound to happen. I was surprised when the third trailer caught on fire that CAFMA started to put water on it. People, when they move to rural Arizona they assume it’s like Phoenix, you get automatic coverage and other amenities which is not true,” Anderson said.

Anderson has lived in Paulden for decades and hopes fire will create real change in her community.

“Has CAF(MA) decided if they are going to respond? Negative. They don’t have a contract,” said dispatch audio obtained by Arizona’s Family. “Maybe they can respond for officers’ safety?”

CAFMA says one landlord owns most of these properties and has decided not to pay for fire coverage. The fire district says it won’t respond to out-of-network houses.

“There might be someone who is in an annexed area a mile or two away and if they are in a fire or having a heart attack and paying taxes, we are obligated to respond to them,” said Assistant Chief of CAFMA, Cody Rose.

Anderson says the problem is cost.

Since the landlord has not joined the district, renters in the mobile homes there have to pay a lump sum to gain access for protection. Anderson says that’s hard to justify for the people who live there.

“Most of the people who live in that section of Paulden are very low income, okay—very, very low means. If you are going to choose between paying for a fire contract, which is a lofty thing in the sky, maybe you’ll use it, maybe you won’t, or putting food on the table or making your car payment, you know, it’s one of those things,” Anderson said.

CAFMA says they will respond to out-of-contract homes if there are safety concerns or someone’s life is in danger. But if everyone is out of the home and a fire is burning, that’s a different story.

Those who lost their homes were not billed for the service, as crews only put out the fire to protect homes that were under contract.

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