Copyright 2006 Little Rock Newspapers, Inc.
Crews have battled more than 60 blazes covering 911 acres since year’s start
By AMY UPSHAW
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (Little Rock, Ark.)
Arkansas Forestry Commission firefighters have battled more than 60 fires since the new year began, and although all are under control, fire officials say the potential for a major blaze remains high.
“We’re fighting more fires in December and January than we have in years,” said Mark Reed, fire management officer for the Arkansas Forestry Commission. “This is a real bad fire season, or at least it’s starting out to be.” And really, Reed pointed out, “fire season” doesn’t technically start until February or March. The increase in fires is due in part to dry, windy conditions that the state is experiencing. Much of Arkansas is suffering drought conditions, with the southwest area of the state experiencing exceptional drought conditions.
Forecasters have said that the dry weather could last at least through March. Because of the dry weather, two-thirds of Arkansas’ 75 counties have instituted burn bans.
The forestry commission’s total does not include fires on National Park Service and U.S. Forestry Service land in Arkansas, where one fire has burned approximately 1,570 acres. That fire is along the Buffalo National River in an area called Duck’s Head, which is part of the Lower Buffalo Wilderness Area, said Doug Wilson, a spokesman for the Buffalo National River park. The closest city, Wilson said, is Yellville.
Two fire crews have worked to confine the fire and expect to have it contained by today or Thursday. Firefighters believe the fire is burning itself out.
Wilson said the Duck’s Head fire, a 350-acre fire on the eastern side of the park and two small fires in the Point Peter area of the river were caused by arson. Park officials did not say why they suspect the blazes were intentionally set but are offering $1,000 for information about the person or persons responsible.
Since Oct. 1 - the beginning of the federal fiscal year - the Buffalo National River wilderness area has seen nine fires, which have burned 2,228 acres, Wilson said. Information about fires at other federal parks and forests was unavailable late Tuesday afternoon.
The state Forestry Commission, which is responsible for suppressing fires on all private forestland in Arkansas, reported 61 fires since Jan. 1, of which 14 had been suppressed by Tuesday afternoon and four still burned, said Jim Grant, a spokesman for the agency. So far this year, fires that the state forest agency fought have burned 911 acres.
“We’re having large numbers of fires, but we’re not having anything of size,” Reed said. “We’re holding most of them down to 5, 10, 15 acres.” Neighboring Oklahoma and Texas have been battling major wildfires for several days. Right now, Reed said, he isn’t too concerned about fires in either state because they are far from Arkansas’ border.
However, the commission sent firefighters into Louisiana on Monday to help battle a blaze between Bastrop, La., and Crossett because of the potential the fire had to cross the border, he said.
“In these dry conditions,” Reed said, "[fires] can get ahead of us in a hurry.”