Multiple brush fires broke out in west Little Rock on Tuesday afternoon, including near a school, authorities said.
At least two were reported in the area of Chalamont and Northfield drives, near Robinson High School, according to Capt. Jacob Lear-Sadowsky of the Little Rock Fire Department.
Those fires were contained by 6 p.m., with crews still out patrolling possible hot spots with assistance from the Arkansas Forestry Commission, he said. The West Pulaski Fire Department assisted the Little Rock agency in containing the blazes.
The fires reportedly started in the brush near the roadside and spread toward homes. The school was not threatened by the flames, Lear-Sadowsky said, but some residents' fences were damaged.
The National Weather Service's North Little Rock office issued a high-wind advisory for the city earlier in the afternoon, and Lear-Sadowsky said he believes the winds were a factor.
The Little Rock department, which also responded to a small grass fire in the 1600 block of South Bowman Road, received a report of 25 mph winds, with gusts reaching 39 mph, he said.
The weather service also reported a small wildfire at the base of Shinall Mountain in west Little Rock.
Metro on 03/07/2018