Dry conditions and abnormally high winds sparked a number of wildfires across Arkansas Wednesday.
Much of Arkansas remains under extreme fire danger, according to the National Weather Service in North Little Rock. As of 5:19 p.m., Arkansas State Police said fire crews were responding to 54 wildfires across the state. No injuries had been reported as of early Wednesday evening.
In a news conference, Little Rock Fire Chief Delphone Hubbard said the department received its first call of a grass fire at 1:18 p.m. Wednesday.
Hubbard said 14 locations across Little Rock had been affected by fires, including four businesses. Of the 10 residential properties affected, four sustained damage to the primary residence; Hubbard said all four are located on Chaucer Lane in southwest Little Rock. He added only one firefighter responding to Wednesday's blazes received medical attention for dehydration, and that resources were never a concern for fire crews.
"At no time were we concerned about our resources as far as the availability of apparatuses, nor was there ever an issue with the pressure of the water supplies that we required to extinguish those fires," he said.
Hubbard said three of the 14 fires in Little Rock were likely caused by trees knocking down power lines, which then sparked fires exacerbated by high winds. He said the cause of the remaining incidents are still under investigation.
Little Rock Police Chief Heath Helton said students at the Marian G. Lacey K-8 Academy were released from school early. Helton urged residents to take caution around officers directing traffic, and to avoid driving on fallen power lines.
Around the start of rush hour Wednesday, a fire behind a Walmart in west Little Rock led to evacuations and brief shutdowns of Chenal Parkway and Bowman Road. That blaze appeared to have been contained by 6:30 Wednesday evening.
The Goodwill Industries of Arkansas headquarters on Scott Hamilton in Little Rock was also evacuated due to a nearby blaze. Crews also responded to a fire in a wooded area near Boyle Park Road, which forced the closure of the Rebsamen Tennis Center. A 10 Box Cost-Plus grocery store on Geyer Springs Road was also affected by a blaze, though the building was not damaged.
Officials say high winds have downed several trees, leading to traffic delays across the city.
In Jefferson County a grass fire caused a shutdown of all lanes of Interstate 530 between Highway 104 and Gravel Pit Road in White Hall. All lanes had reopened as of 7:45 p.m.
The historic St. Joseph's Center in North Little Rock, a former orphanage dating back to the early 20th century, appeared to have sustained heavy fire damage. The site now hosts a farm stand and urban garden, hosting tours and events.
In Jackson County, state police said U.S. Highway 67 was closed at the 69-mile marker. In Lawrence County, closures affected U.S. 67 near the 124-mile marker near the Fulbright community, as well as U.S. Highway 63/412 in Portia. All roads had reopened as of 7:45 p.m.
Most of Arkansas remains under an extreme fire danger warning, with burn bans in effect across the state. If you see a fire, call 911 and move to safety immediately.
