Arkansans can now see where wildfires are burning and how the state is responding, as it happens. The Arkansas Department of Agriculture has launched a new active wildfire dashboard that provides real-time information on wildfires the Department is currently responding to. The dashboard is available here and offers the public a clearer, more accessible view of wildfire activity across the state.
The dashboard displays current wildfire totals, current acreage affected, year‑to‑date wildfire totals, and year‑to‑date acreage. It also provides details for individual wildfires, including their general location and acreage.
Arkansas is home to more than 18.8 million acres of forests and over 11.5 billion trees. The Department protects more than 15 million acres of non-federal forestland through seven districts positioned across Arkansas, where foresters and rangers work daily to prevent, detect, and suppress wildfires. The Department currently has 175 wildland firefighters, 110 bulldozers, and an aviation detection and response fleet available to respond to complex wildfire incidents anywhere in the state.
This new resource is designed to provide timely, reliable information to Arkansans and support public awareness during periods of elevated fire risk. While the Department encourages the use of this dashboard to stay informed, it is critical that Arkansans follow established safety guidance:
- Never attempt to approach or investigate a wildfire on your own. Rapidly changing conditions such as intense smoke, heat, falling debris, and unpredictable winds make areas around active fires extremely dangerous.
- Do not fly drones near wildfires. Unauthorized drones ground firefighting aircraft, slow emergency response, distract crews, and create serious airspace hazards.
- Follow all instructions from fire authorities and only enter affected areas once officials have confirmed they are safe.
- Report any wildfires immediately to the Department’s Forestry Dispatch at 1-800-468-8834.
- Media interested in covering a specific wildfire must contact Ayden Duncan at 501-813-6012 before visiting any incident location.
Source : arkansas.gov