2 state forest fires nearly in hand; all 75 counties classified as areas of ‘high wildfire danger’

An Arkansas Forestry Commission firefighter works to extinguish a wildfire Wednesday morning that burned between Arkansas 10 and Northfield Drive in far west Little Rock.
An Arkansas Forestry Commission firefighter works to extinguish a wildfire Wednesday morning that burned between Arkansas 10 and Northfield Drive in far west Little Rock.

Two fires that scorched almost 3,000 acres of national forestland in Arkansas were nearing containment Wednesday.

The Tom's Mill fire in Johnson County was at 2,000 acres and 90 percent contained, and the Forked fire in Perry County was at 940 acres and 80 percent contained, according to the wildfires incident information system website inciweb.nwcg.gov.

Tracy Farley, a spokesman for the Ouachita and Ozark-St. Francis national forests, said the numbers run a day behind because they are reported by firefighters when they come in from the forests each night. So containment was probably at even higher percentages, she said.

"In theory, they're just working up on buttoning up the container line," Farley said Wednesday. "I know they completed the vast majority of the burn-out operation yesterday on the Tom's Mill fire. I believe the firefighters were focusing efforts today on patrolling, and mopping up and securing any line that wasn't completely secure."

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Photos by U.S Forest Service

On Monday, the size of the Tom's Mill fire was at 512 acres and the Forked fire was at 490 acres.

The Forked fire is in the Ouachita National Forest. The Tom's Mill fire is in the Ozark National Forest. The fires are about 50 miles apart.

The Forked fire in the Flatside Wilderness near Hollis started Nov. 21 and should be contained by Saturday, according to inciweb.nwcg.gov.

"Typically, containment is reached several days prior to actual control," said Farley, noting that a fire can still have hot spots after it is fully contained.

"Before we can call it controlled, all of those hot spots have to be out," she said. "Fire can get down in roots of trees and holes and linger there for some time."

A person caused the fire near Forked Mountain, but Farley said she couldn't elaborate.

The Tom's Mill fire near Hagarville started Saturday. Its cause is under investigation. Farley said she had no estimate of when it will be contained.

Farley said the fires are burning primarily leaves on the ground.

All 75 Arkansas counties were classified as "high wildfire danger" areas, according to the Arkansas Agriculture Department's Forestry Commission. Fifty-five Arkansas counties had burn bans in effect late Wednesday.

On Tuesday, the commission said it had contained 76 wildfires that had burned 1,999 acres of private land since Sunday. Over the next 24 hours, its crews contained another 28 fires that burned 458 acres, said Adriane Barnes, a spokesman for the commission.

"Higher humidity and rainfall received in some areas has helped reduce wildfire frequency today," Barnes said in an email Wednesday.

The National Weather Service shows no more rain forecast for the areas of the national forest fires until Monday, when there is a 50 percent chance.

Farley said there was no rain reported Wednesday in those areas.

Metro on 11/30/2017

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