With wildfire danger up, hunters, campers should forego outdoor burning

By Mary Hightower
U of A System Division of Agriculture

LITTLE ROCK — With most of Arkansas at high risk of wildfires, state officials are asking the public to avoid outdoor burning.

On Thursday, the Arkansas wildfire map showed 64 counties at high risk, with 11 counties, all in northeastern Arkansas, at moderate risk. County judges have imposed burn bans in most of the high-risk counties.

Wildfire Danger & Burn Bans as of 10/21/2024 4:21 PM

According to the U.S. Drought Monitor’s Oct 21 map, almost two-thirds of the state’s 75 counties are experiencing moderate to extreme drought. The most intense drought is in five northwest Arkansas counties.

“This weekend kicks off the traditional gun deer season across Arkansas and many people will be traveling to deer camp,”  Jaret Rushing, extension forestry instructor for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, said Wednesday. “Deer camp usually consists of campfires, so it’s important that people keep in mind the danger.”

Among the outdoor burning activities to avoid include:

• Burning trash

• Open flame grilling

• Prescribed burns

• Campfires.

Sparks from lawn mower blades, trailer safety chains, hot exhaust pipes and driving on a flat tire can also start a wildfire.

Wildfire Danger & Burn Bans as of 10/21/2024 4:21 PM

Risk levels are determined by fuel conditions, drought status, and long-term weather forecasts. They are categorized by how easily fires can start and how hard they are to contain. The risk level definitions are:

Low: Fuels do not ignite easily. Weather conditions will lead to slow spread and relatively easy to control fires.

Moderate: Fire can start from accidental causes. May not become serious, but caution should be taken.

High: Fires ignite easily and spread quickly. Unattended brush fires and campfires are likely to escape. Fires may become serious if not attacked early.

Extreme: Fires start quickly, spread furiously, and burn intensely. Every fire started has the potential to become large. Expect extreme, erratic behavior.

The Arkansas Department of Agriculture, which oversees protection of more than 15 million acres of forestland in Arkansas, said that since Oct. 1, it has suppressed more than 100 wildfires on 1,116 acres. Since the beginning of the year, more than 700 wildfires have burned 15,000 acres in Arkansas.

The department urged anyone involved in outdoor activities to carry water and extinguish sparks from muzzleloader guns or machinery.

Jacob Hackman, extension forestry specialist for the Division of Agriculture, said starting a fire could be expensive.

"You may be liable for damages caused by an escaped forest fire,” he said.

To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on X and Instagram at @AR_Extension. To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uada.edu. Follow on X at @ArkAgResearch. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on X at @AgInArk. 

Wildfire threats loom across state as drought conditions worsen

by George Jared (gjared@talkbusiness.net)

Nearly three-quarters of the state of Arkansas is under some type of drought designation, and wildfires are becoming an increasing danger as dry weather continues to loom across the Natural State.

According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, drought conditions exist throughout most of the state except for the extreme northeast corner. Most of the state is in stage 1 (moderate) or stage 2 (severe) drought. A pocket of counties in Northwest Arkansas is under the extreme designation, while parts of the Arkansas Delta are under the abnormally dry designation.

The Arkansas Department of Agriculture noted that burn bans have been issued for 51 counties. The increased threat is primarily due to strong winds from a cold front combined with low humidity and dry conditions. To help residents understand the wildfire threat, the Department maintains a county-by-county wildfire danger map.

Wildfire threats loom across state as drought conditions worsen

Arkansas at high wildfire risk as dry conditions worsen

KUAR | By George Jared / Talk Business & Politics

Drought conditions have worsened throughout the Arkansas Delta and there will be impacts to farmers as the harvest season unfolds. The lack of rain has been so severe that the Mississippi River is at its lowest level in a decade and it is the eighth lowest level ever recorded for the river, National Weather Service Meteorologist Samantha Brown told Talk Business & Politics.

There hasn’t been any precipitation in the region in almost two weeks and that won’t change in the short-term forecast, and there’s nothing in the long-term modeling that indicates any change at this point, Brown said.

“Drought conditions are worsening. There’s no chance of rain that I can see for the next seven days and even further,” she said.

The entire Delta is under abnormally dry, moderate or severe drought conditions, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. A low-pressure trough has stalled over the mid-South region, and there is no indication it will move anytime soon, Brown said.

https://www.ualrpublicradio.org/local-regional-news/2022-10-03/arkansas-at-high-wildfire-risk-as-dry-conditions-worsen

Crop quality, progress in Arkansas aided by rains

KUAR | By George Jared/ Talk Business & Politics

It rained very little during the months of June and July throughout most of northern and eastern Arkansas, plunging many parts of the Natural State into a severe drought. In recent weeks, that trend has changed dramatically and it comes at a time that is critical for many row crop farmers.

According to the United States Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) about 25% of the state’s corn crop is mature, as compared to the five-year average of 32% by this point in the growing season. There are an estimated 710,000 corn acres in the state.

Nearly 97% of the state’s soybean crop is blooming, which is 2% ahead of the five-year average. Arkansas farmers planted 3.2 million soybean acres, making it the state’s most widely grown crop.

https://www.ualrpublicradio.org/local-regional-news/2022-08-15/crop-quality-progress-in-arkansas-aided-by-rains