Arkansas fire departments to receive wildland fire suppression kits

A total of 85 rural Arkansas fire departments will get new woodland fire suppression kits next year. The kits, provided by the Arkansas Department of Agriculture Forestry Division, contain valuable tools for fighting forest fires.

The kits are being distributed by the Department's Rural Fire Protection office, with funding from the U.S. Forest Service's Volunteer Fire Assistance Grant program. The kits contain fire-resistant coveralls and backpack water pumps.

Wildland fires are any fires that don't start in a structure, like brush or forest fires. These fires make up the majority of those in Arkansas. In 2023, the Department's Forestry Division responded to 663 wildfires that burned nearly 11,000 acres.

Kathryn Mahan-Hooten, the Rural Fire Protection administrator, said that the kit comes with equipment that is particularly valuable in combating wildland fires.