The countywide burn ban implemented Tuesday by Hempstead County Judge Wallace Martin comes at a time when heat and humidity across the county are beginning to intersect with time.
As August ripens under sweltering temperatures hitting 102 degrees, rainfall in the county remains 11.05 inches below normal for the year. To date this month, only 0.12 inch of rain has been recorded in Hope by the Southwest Arkansas Research and Extension Center.
Since June 1, Hope has seen less than 6.5 inches of rainfall. Spotty evening showers keep the pavement wet in Hope, but without general rains across the county, the burn ban here will likely remain well into the start of the school year as part of a pattern of some 29 counties currently imposing such actions.
With the exception of Miller and Little River counties, Southwest Arkansas has banned outdoor burning in Hempstead, Nevada, Lafayette, Howard, Polk, Pike, Garland, Columbia and Ouachita counties, according to the Arkansas Forestry Commission.
The fortunate aspect of that is the lack of wildfires. Hempstead County has had only one fire which burned a single acre since June, according to the AFC.
“We haven't had a whole lot of fires because of the humidity we've had with the heat,” AFC County Forester John Beasley said. “It's been too muggy, particularly at night.”So, while Hempstead County remains under a “moderate” threat of wildfire, the area of the state which is under a “high” threat is expanding from the immediate north across Pike, Montgomery, Garland, Saline, Grant, Dallas, Hot Spring, Clark, Pike, Howard, Sevier and Little River counties, according to the AFC.
“There are four fires burning at this time,” the AFC said in a statement Tuesday afternoon. “Since Aug. 1, crews have responded to 84 fires that have burned 925 acres.”
The agency offered a number of cautionary points as the risk of wildfire rises across Arkansas, including:
--Be mindful of sparks generated by power equipment such as lawnmowers and hay baling machinery.
--Never discard cigarettes along the roadside from vehicles.
--Never park a vehicle off the shoulder of a roadway were exhaust pipes can ignite grass or other vegetation.
“Arkansas residents living in forested areas should begin taking measures to protect their homes from wildfire,” the AFC statement said. “AFC recommends homeowners create a 30 to 100 foot 'defensible space' around their house, depending upon terrain.”
Hope Fire Chief Bo Watkins also recommended that homeowners remove potential fire fuel sources from near residences.
“It's getting dry; there is no doubt about that,” Watkins said. “And, the rains we're getting around town have ben kind of spotty. So, I'd say we needed a burn ban.”
Watkins also recommends:
--Get rid of potential debris sources from around residences.
--Keep grass and weeds cut.
--Keep leaves and pine straw off roof.
“We haven't had any grass fires lately, and the last one we had was July 20,” Watkins said.
And, while the county appears to be on the leading edge of prevention, farmers and ranchers are seeing potential forage wither, and poultry producers are running water supply systems at full throttle to prevent die-offs, Hempstead County Agricultural Extension Agent Gerald Alexander said.
“The pastures have been drying up, but little showers have been helping in isolated areas; so, we still need a good, general soaking,” Alexander said.
He said the burn ban is timely because farmers and ranchers are afraid to burn forest or pasture debris.
“Nobody wants to start something they can't stop,” Alexander said.
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The countywide burn ban implemented Tuesday by Hempstead County Judge Wallace Martin comes at a time when heat and humidity across the county are beginning to intersect with time.
As August ripens under sweltering temperatures hitting 102 degrees, rainfall in the county remains 11.05 inches below normal for the year. To date this month, only 0.12 inch of rain has been recorded in Hope by the Southwest Arkansas Research and Extension Center.
Since June 1, Hope has seen less than 6.5 inches of rainfall. Spotty evening showers keep the pavement wet in Hope, but without general rains across the county, the burn ban here will likely remain well into the start of the school year as part of a pattern of some 29 counties currently imposing such actions.
With the exception of Miller and Little River counties, Southwest Arkansas has banned outdoor burning in Hempstead, Nevada, Lafayette, Howard, Polk, Pike, Garland, Columbia and Ouachita counties, according to the Arkansas Forestry Commission.
The fortunate aspect of that is the lack of wildfires. Hempstead County has had only one fire which burned a single acre since June, according to the AFC.
“We haven't had a whole lot of fires because of the humidity we've had with the heat,” AFC County Forester John Beasley said. “It's been too muggy, particularly at night.”So, while Hempstead County remains under a “moderate” threat of wildfire, the area of the state which is under a “high” threat is expanding from the immediate north across Pike, Montgomery, Garland, Saline, Grant, Dallas, Hot Spring, Clark, Pike, Howard, Sevier and Little River counties, according to the AFC.
“There are four fires burning at this time,” the AFC said in a statement Tuesday afternoon. “Since Aug. 1, crews have responded to 84 fires that have burned 925 acres.”
The agency offered a number of cautionary points as the risk of wildfire rises across Arkansas, including:
--Be mindful of sparks generated by power equipment such as lawnmowers and hay baling machinery.
--Never discard cigarettes along the roadside from vehicles.
--Never park a vehicle off the shoulder of a roadway were exhaust pipes can ignite grass or other vegetation.
“Arkansas residents living in forested areas should begin taking measures to protect their homes from wildfire,” the AFC statement said. “AFC recommends homeowners create a 30 to 100 foot 'defensible space' around their house, depending upon terrain.”
Hope Fire Chief Bo Watkins also recommended that homeowners remove potential fire fuel sources from near residences.
“It's getting dry; there is no doubt about that,” Watkins said. “And, the rains we're getting around town have ben kind of spotty. So, I'd say we needed a burn ban.”
Watkins also recommends:
--Get rid of potential debris sources from around residences.
--Keep grass and weeds cut.
--Keep leaves and pine straw off roof.
“We haven't had any grass fires lately, and the last one we had was July 20,” Watkins said.
And, while the county appears to be on the leading edge of prevention, farmers and ranchers are seeing potential forage wither, and poultry producers are running water supply systems at full throttle to prevent die-offs, Hempstead County Agricultural Extension Agent Gerald Alexander said.
“The pastures have been drying up, but little showers have been helping in isolated areas; so, we still need a good, general soaking,” Alexander said.
He said the burn ban is timely because farmers and ranchers are afraid to burn forest or pasture debris.
“Nobody wants to start something they can't stop,” Alexander said.
