Northeast Arkansas counties under burn bans

Crittenden County listed as “moderate” risk for wildfires this week

By Ralph Hardin

news@theeveningtimes.com

Prolonoged high winds, warming temperatures, plenty of dry and dead vegetative debris left over from winter — all of this adds up to an increase in the risk of wildfires.

With those windy and dry conditions in mind, this week the county judges in Craighead and Greene counties have issued a burn ban, joining neighboring Sharp County, as well as Boone County in north-central Arkansas on the burn ban list.

Meanwhile, 50 other counties, including Crittenden, Cross, Poinsett, Mississippi and St. Francis counties, are under a “moderate risk” for wildfire danger as well.

Craighead County Judge Marvin Day issued the burn ban until further notice in his county after getting requests from the district fire chiefs Tuesday. The burn ban prohibits all outdoor burning in an effort to reduce the risk of wildfires due to the weather and dry vegetation.

As part of the ban, the ban will be enforced by the Craighead County Sheriff’s Department, local fire district officials, the Craighead County Office of Emergency Management and Arkansas Forestry Services.

“Residents are urged to comply with this order to prevent potential fire outbreaks. This burn ban will remain in effect until conditions improve and an official order lifts the restrictions,” Craighead County officials said in a media release.

To the north in Greene County, County Judge Rusty McMillon also issued a burn ban Tuesday.

McMillon said the windy conditions and low humidity were a contributing factor and that fire departments in the county had responded to at least eight different fires, as of noon Tuesday.

Greene County Sheriff Brad Snyder said that fire departments around the county have

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Photo courtesy of Arkansas.gov BURN BAN

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been busy in the past few days, dealing with countless fires.

Volunteer fire departments also responded to at least five active grass fires Tuesday afternoon at the same time, Snyder said.

For up-to-date information about burn ban statuses from across the state, visit the Arkansas Forestry Division’s web site at https://mip.agri.arkansas.gov/agtools/F orestry/Fire_Info?do:showBurnBans.