Abstract
Wildfire statistics for Arkansas Forestry Commission District I in southeastern Arkansas were analyzed for the period 1 984 through 1987. A mean of 313 fires and 1103 hectares burned annually during the study period. Most (87%) of the land burned was forested. The greatest number (90%) of wildfires occurred when fire-danger was moderate to high. Most fires were started (90%) and detected (51%) by local residents. Arson was responsible for the majority of fires (68%) and hectares burned (65%). A disproportionately high number (43%) of the incendiary fires occurred in Ashley County. Mean fire size was smaller in this county. Fire suppression professionals attribute this to increased surveillance and suppression efforts in this county as compared with other counties. Many more fires occurred in 1987 than in other years. On forest-industry land more fires occurred in1987 than in previous years (65% vs. 42%). Also, for all lands, more fires were of incendiary origin in 1987 than in previous years (78% vs. 60%). The authors provide evidence that the change in fire pattern in 1987 was due in part to a drastic change in administration of hunting privileges by a major forest industry in the area.
Recommended Citation
Kluender, Richard A.; Thompson, Lynne C.; and Callahan, G. W.
(1988)
"Analysis of Wildfire Occurrence in Southeastern Arkansas, 1984-1987,"
Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science: Vol. 42, Article 15.
Available at:
https://scholarworks.uark.edu/jaas/vol42/iss1/15
