Dry, windy conditions prompt rash of grass fires in region

Piggott firefighter Jason Simpson catches a ride as personnel respond to the blaze at the Chip O'Connor residence Thursday afternoon. Dry and windy conditions have kept local firefighters very busy the past couple of weeks with an outbreak of grass fires. A debris fire at the O'Conner residence apparently spread to a nearby barn, and the structure was a complete loss.
(Times photo/Tim Blair)

[Click to enlarge]

The rain that rolled through the region late Monday night may not have been welcomed by the area's farmers, but proved to be a blessing to local firefighters.

Dry conditions and strong winds over the past week have resulted in dozens of grass fires, and the loss of a few outbuildings and barns. The Piggott area was not the only region affected by the conditions as the Arkansas Forestry Commission responded to a total of 128 fires Saturday and Sunday.

Piggott firefighters responded Thursday to several grass fires, including a call to the area off Kay Street mid-morning and another north of school house hill that afternoon. While responding to that fire, a blaze was reported at the Chip O'Connor residence at the corner of State Route 139 and County Road 546 southeast of Piggott.

Apparently, fire from a burning debris pile spread to a nearby barn and, by the time firefighters arrived on the scene, the structure was fully involved. Piggott personnel responded to the blaze, along with firefighters from the Greenway Fire Department. The structure was a complete loss, but no damage estimate was available.

The Arkansas Forestry commission indicated that some 3,123 acres burned in the fires they battled over the weekend. The AFC also made 42 water drops using single-engine air tankers (SEATs), which are specially-equipped crop dusting planes.

Officials estimated that more than two-thirds of the state was experiencing moderate wildfire danger conditions. They also noted the problem is compounded by property owners still cleaning up from last year's ice storm.