Oxtongue Lake was one of two fire departments serving the Township of Sherborne, McClintock, Livingstone, Lawrence and Nightingale in northwestern Haliburton County. Sherborne et al. was part of an amalgamation that created the new municipality of Algonquin Highlands. All three amalgamated fire departments (Dorset, Oxtongue Lake and Stanhope were maintained as separate entities initially, but were merged gradually after 2005 when a full-time chief was hired for all of Algonquin Highlands.