Property owners in three rural areas could see their fire insurance rates drop if the state approves three new fire districts for Warren County.

County fire coordinator Jerry Briggs said the county is looking to add districts in the LeTourneau, Northeast and Redwood areas. Getting the districts approved, he said, would give the new areas at least a Class 8 fire rating resulting in about a 45 percent reduction in insurance for residents living in the areas.

He said there are four steps to getting the new districts.

“The first thing is we get a map and a legal description of the area five road miles from the fire station,” he said. “The next step is we get a petition from the residents living in the affected area and then the board of supervisors have a public hearing.”

If the supervisors adopt the districts, the application goes to the state Insurance Rating Bureau, which determines whether to approve the application.

Briggs said the county is presently in the petition phase of the process.

Briggs said the county is able to consider adding the new districts because of improvements in equipment and firefighter training.

“These new districts are for insurance only,” he said. “The people in the new districts will be served by the same fire departments that are serving them now.

“The real advantage for the people living within the five road miles from the station is that they will pay less for insurance. We want to try and help the people in those areas get a lower insurance rate.”