Hot, dry leads to wildfires

Local fire departments respond to numerous wildfires in both rangeland and timber

Firefighters from the Gentry Fire Department extinguished flames at a large brush fire in the Maysville area on Friday evening. Fire departments from Maysville, Sulphur Springs, Decatur, Gravette, Gentry, Hiwasse, Bentonville, and Jay, Okla. responded to the fire, as well as the Arkansas Forestry Commission and Arkansas Department of Emergency Management.
Firefighters from the Gentry Fire Department extinguished flames at a large brush fire in the Maysville area on Friday evening. Fire departments from Maysville, Sulphur Springs, Decatur, Gravette, Gentry, Hiwasse, Bentonville, and Jay, Okla. responded to the fire, as well as the Arkansas Forestry Commission and Arkansas Department of Emergency Management.

MAYSVILLE - Almost 1,000 acres of pasture and timberland in northwest Benton County went up in smoke and flames last week.

The fire, kindled near Hunter Road north of Maysville Friday afternoon, spread quickly through the dry pastures and timberland, threatening homes and other structures.

Volunteer fire departments from throughout the area battled the blaze into Saturday morning before the flames were halted at Honey Creek Road. As a precaution that road was closed to traffic for some time.

Rekindles, reported as late as Monday afternoon of this week, resulted in call-outs to area departments, particularly Maysville and Sulphur Springs, to extinguish burning trees and hot spots. Additional fires were reported Monday along the Arkansas and Oklahoma border.

Other fire departments who assisted in battling the blazesincluded Decatur, Gravette, Gentry, Hiwasse and Bentonville, as well as Southwest City, Mo., and Jay, Okla.

The Arkansas Forestry Service supplied manpower and bulldozers in clearing firebreak linesand an AFS airplane and helicopter delivered thousands of gallons of water in helping protect homes and property.

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A helicopter dumped water on flames at a large range and timber fire in the Maysville area on Friday evening.

Dennis Spear, of the AFS office, said Gravette’s rural water system was a big factor in being able to supply water to ground departments as they battled the blaze over an area greater than a square mile in size in the 100-plus degree heat.

Spear said, “The area is very blessed and fortunate for the high quality of equipment of the volunteer fire departments. And the caliber of the volunteer manpower is as good and professional as you’ll find anywhere,” he declared.

Farm homes in the path of the far-reaching blaze escaped damage. However, at least one brooderhouse and a few outbuildings fell victim to the fire, as did some baled hay in pastures.

Because of the hot, dry conditions the area has been under a burn ban for more than week. Rainfall, promised for this midweek, could relieve some of the fire potential, but officials urge extra caution since any accidental spark could trigger a blaze.

News, Pages 1 on 08/10/2011