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September Wildfire Response: Arkansas experienced a notable increase in wildfire activity in September. Department foresters and forest rangers responded to 294 fires affecting 7,188 acres. Over 200 homes were threatened with 1 confirmed loss. The value of the threatened homes was approximately $30 million dollars.
So far this year, the Department has suppressed 1,530 fires across 38,164 acres. Several large incidents occurred throughout the month, including the Bunker Fire in Calhoun County (2,849 acres) and the Brown Lane Incident in Logan County (372 acres).
We are extremely proud of our foresters and forest rangers for their dedication and extended hours in protecting Arkansas communities, property, and forestland. We also appreciate Governor Sanders’ leadership in coordinating resources from the Arkansas National Guard, Arkansas Department of Transportation, Arkansas Division of Emergency Management, Arkansas State Parks, Arkansas State Police, and federal resources from the U.S. Department of War, U.S. Department of the Interior, and U.S. Forest Service. The state also received additional wildfire support from the Mississippi National Guard and Oklahoma National Guard. Rural and volunteer fire departments also played a critical role in response efforts statewide.
In addition to these partnerships, Arkansas activated the South Central Interstate Forest Fire Protection Compact to strengthen wildfire response capacity during this period of heightened activity. The compact mobilized five wildfire task‑force teams from Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, and South Carolina to assist Arkansas personnel.
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