How The Arkansas Forestry Commission Helps Battle Fires
By:
Updated: July 3, 2012
The Commission's Central Dispatch Office in Malvern has responded to around 30 fires today. They tell KARK that around 6 p.m. today they were 13 active fires. 17 of those fires burned at least 49 acres.
KARK asked the Commission how they are equipped to handle the high number of calls. Asking them them if and exactly how they're equipped to handle such a high number of calls on a day like today.
Sheila Doughty of the Arkansas Forestry Commission says "We have crews in every county and we also have district offices with larger equipment and everybody is on standby and that's how we're able to respond so quickly."
A lot of these 30 fires with the exception of the few we've already reported are actually less than 10 acres and were put out fairly quickly because the Commission crews are in place and can get there so fast.
The Forestry Commission has county and district rangers who manage an area that may include up the three counties. So on a day like today, just one of those district rangers can stay very busy.
