Mr Taylor said the Rural Fire Authority comprised a number of regional branches, meaning greater innovation at a local level. This could be lost under a single body.
Northern Regional Fire Authority covered the Far North, while Whangarei and Kaipara district councils and the Department of Conservation were responsible for managing rural fire crews across the rest of Northland.
Rural fire authorities were currently funded by local and central government, while the New Zealand Fire Service was funded from insurance levies.
Fire Service acting area commander Wipari Henwood supported a change to one nationally co-ordinated fire service to deliver rural and urban fire and emergency services.
A national body would be better equipped to deal with the changing nature of the job.
"There are changing expectations of the communities we are serving. In the 1990s there was a change from response to reduction and readiness."
Mr Henwood said the law protected staff and volunteers to a certain extent so long as they were acting in good faith, but this could be strengthened.
"We've had situations in the past where people have had to go and do things they're not trained to do - so that won't have to happen."
Whangarei District Council submitted in support of the "one national fire service" option, but raised concerns this could result in limited expertise around long duration rural fires and lessen funding to rural volunteer crews.