Fire forces closure of Arkansas 103

No injuries reported in Friday’s blaze in Johnson County; up to 80 acres burn

A wildfire of unknown origin burned up to 80 acres Friday and forced closure of Arkansas 103 north of Clarksville for most of the day, Johnson County Emergency Management coordinator Josh Johnston said.

A 1 1/2 mile stretch of the highway was closed about 4:30 a.m. Friday 13 miles north of Clarksville because of heavy smoke and falling rocks dislodged by the fire, he said. The highway was reopened about 5 p.m., according to the JohnsonCounty sheriff’s office.

No traffic accidents resulted from the fire, Johnston said, but traffic on the lightly traveled highway was rerouted around the fire on county roads.

No firefighters were injured and no equipment was damaged in fighting the fire, he said.

The U.S. Forest Service stated in an advisory Friday that there were no prescribed burns occurring in the area.

Johnston said the fire was contained Friday morningand that fire lines were set up to prevent it from spreading. Extinguishing the fire was a slow process, he said, because of rugged terrain.

The U.S. Forest Service, Arkansas Forestry Commission and two county rural fire departments worked the fire while the Johnson County sheriff ’s office and Arkansas State Police handled traffic control, Johnston said.

Northwest Arkansas, Pages 10 on 12/15/2012

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