Cold front brings chilly air, but high wildfire risk lingers

A dry cold front moved through Arkansas overnight, dropping temperatures across the region, but state forestry officials warned Monday morning that the wildfire threat remains high in the state’s northern tier.

The “high” fire danger rating persists for northern Arkansas, while the remainder of the state remains under a moderate alert. Burn bans issued Sunday for Fulton, Independence, Izard, Jackson, and Sharp counties remain in effect as officials look to prevent new ignitions in the wake of a weekend marked by increased fire activity.

On Sunday, local departments coordinated a massive support effort for state aerial firefighting teams. In Batesville, Engine 2 was deployed to the Batesville Airport to assist Arkansas Forestry Division air tankers. Simultaneously, the Heber Springs Fire Department provided support at the Heber Springs Municipal Airport, serving as a staging point for fuel and water for the tankers.

The cold front, which pushed south through the early morning hours, has brought much cooler air that is expected to stick around through Tuesday. However, because the front did not bring significant precipitation, the vegetation remains dangerously dry.

“The cooler weather is a help to the crews on the ground, but the fuel on the forest floor doesn’t know what the temperature is—it only knows it’s dry,” a forestry spokesperson said.