MULBERRY, Ark. — A large fire has been confirmed near Chastain Road and Graphic Road in Mulberry, according to fire chief Jeff Brown.
Brown told 5NEWS he has requested assistance from agencies in Mountainburg, Kibler and the Arkansas Forestry Service.
"We had three dozers, a skid steer, two planes,” said Mulberry Fire Department Assistant Chief Ben Brewer explaining the resources used to fight the fire.
The cause of the fire has not been released at this time. While there are three structures in the area, including a home and a business venue, the fire has been contained to a field.
“ We’re going to attack a fire and safety as we can," said Jeff Frizzell, district 6 forester with the Arkansas Forestry Department Division of the Arkansas Department of Agriculture. "Prioritizing homes, structures, and high-priority resources.”
"Protecting structures is the main thing," Brewer said. "We can burn trees all day, we don’t want to burn people's houses.”
The owners of the Kindred Barn event venue, located on the backside of where the fire is burning.
"It's a little intimidating not knowing what I was going to see when I got there said Kindred Barn owner Joey Marrone "Cause you couldn't see through the smoke
Marrone was away when the flames began. However, he says his neighbors jumped in right away to help control the flames, possibly saving the building.
"This community have always been willing to lock arms and they showed it again with strength today," Marrone said.
When Marrone arrived, he said he saw the fire was moving rapidly. “The blaze moved really quickly," Marrone said. "In about five minutes I traveled a quarter mile.”
Planes were seen air-dropping water onto the hot spots, and it rained for about five minutes in the area.
Almost every county in Arkansas is under a burn ban as the entire state is at "high" risk for wildfires due to dry conditions.
Frizzell said the dry grass and drought conditions helped fuel the fire. “Allowing these fires to burn so fast and to get larger than normal.”
We will update this article with more information as it becomes available.
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