Firefighters battle heat and flames

AVOCA — Extremely dry conditions accelerated a fire Saturday afternoon which burned an acre of vegetation encompassing an unoccupied mobile home, three travel trailers, seven vehicles and about 100 tires, according to Benton County FireMarshal Will Hanna.

Four fire departments and the Arkansas Forestry Department responded to the 3:30 p.m. fire on the Jerry and Berline Undernehr property at 11150 N. Old Wire Road, Avoca, immediately behind the Veterans of Foreign Wars building. A plume of black smoke could be seen from miles away.

Firefighters from Avoca, Northeast Benton County Volunteer Fire Department, Pea Ridge, Little Flock and Beaver Lake fought the fire until about 6 p.m., whenit was officially contained, but remained on the scene until after 7 p.m. The Forestry Department used a dozer to put a fire break around the one acre parcel on the four acres owned by the Undernehrs, Hanna said.

The origin of the fire is undetermined, Hanna said, adding: “With this climate, it could have been anything ... a small fire is going to get pretty big right now.”

Due to the extremely dry conditions, a county-wide burn ban has been issued by Benton County Judge David Bisbee, effective immediately and continuing until weather conditions improve, as determined by local fire officials and the Arkansas Forestry Commission.

“The burn ban will remain in effect in Benton County until we receive measurable precipitation,” Hanna said. “That means enough precipitation to increase the moisture in the vegetation - the fuel.

“I talked to officials at the Tulsa Weather station, and they stillbelieve it will be 30 days before we get any measurable precipitation,” Hanna said.

Hanna said it is very unusual for such dry conditions to exist in April, that January through March are usually the driest months with the most fires.

There have been several controlled fires in the county which have gotten out of control due to the dry conditions, Hanna said, and there have been three illegal burns which led to uncontrolled fires.