A grass fire that broke out on Fedder Road in western Pulaski County tore through multiple structures, vehicles and a boat on Tuesday before crews managed to pin it down within the burned area. The blaze, located north of Lake Maumelle and west of Arkansas Highway 113, prompted a multi-agency response that included bulldozers, plow teams and utility crews working to secure the scene.
The West End Pulaski Fire Department responded to the wildland and structure fire in its Station 4 area, according to KATV. Officials said the fire began as a grass fire before spreading to damage multiple structures, vehicles, a boat and surrounding woodland, the department reported. Firefighters later confirmed the fire was contained within the area that had already burned.
Crews Box In Flames And Hotspots
Fire crews established perimeter lines around the burn area and worked to contain burning structures and hotspots that remained active after the initial spread, per a department release cited by the station. Crews also managed several burning vehicles caught up in the blaze, the same release noted. Arkansas Forestry and the Arkansas Department of Agriculture sent bulldozers and plow crews to help carve containment lines and slow the fire's advance.
First Electric Cooperative assisted on scene by securing power lines in the area, reducing the risk of additional hazards for crews working the perimeter. The response drew in departments from well beyond the immediate area: Lake Maumelle, Williams Junction, East Pulaski, North Pulaski, Houston and Bigelow fire departments all responded to assist West End Pulaski crews battling the blaze.
Drought And An Active Burn Ban
Dry vegetation and persistent drought conditions may have contributed to the fire's size and how quickly it spread, officials said. During drought conditions, fuels like grasses and trees dry out and become more flammable, and drought can raise both the odds of ignition and the speed at which fire moves, according to drought.gov. Pulaski County remains under an active burn ban, and the West End Pulaski Fire Department is urging residents to avoid all outdoor burning and to report any smoke as soon as possible.
The Arkansas Department of Agriculture notes that wildfire risk is tracked using current fuel dryness, drought indicators and long-range weather forecasts, and that unattended campfires or debris burning can escape containment in moments, according to the Arkansas Department of Agriculture. Residents looking to keep tabs on fire activity statewide can track wildfires across Arkansas using an interactive map, the station's report noted.
Part Of A Rough Stretch For Western Pulaski County
The Fedder Road fire comes amid a stretch of wildfire activity across western Pulaski County this fall. A separate fire near Bandys Ridge and Neal Creek had consumed 2,000 acres and was estimated at 70 percent contained, with no homes or businesses currently threatened, the same outlet reported. Smoke from that fire was expected to continue for days and settle over roads and neighborhoods as temperatures cool, per the report.
No injuries, evacuations or road closures tied to the Fedder Road fire have been detailed, and the exact acreage burned and percentage contained have not been released. Firefighters say the fire remains contained within the area that already burned, and crews continue to monitor hotspots along the perimeter lines they established.
