Arkansas extends helping hand to fire-stricken Louisiana

Little Rock, Arkansas – As the wildfires continue to scorch vast expanses of Louisiana, neighboring Arkansas is offering a helping hand to suppress the fierce flames.

Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, on Tuesday, gave the green light for a six-member crew of wildland firefighters to assist Louisiana in its fight against the wildfires. This team is dispatched from the Department of Agriculture’s Forestry Division, which is now confronting the daunting challenge of mitigating 40,000 acres of wildland fires. To make matters more complicated, around one-third of Louisiana is currently grappling with extreme drought conditions, further intensifying the fires.

These specialized firefighters belong to the South Central Interstate Forest Fire Protection Compact. This valuable agreement allows wildland firefighters from member states to cross borders and aid neighboring states in taming wildfires. For the upcoming fortnight, the team is assigned to the Tiger Island area, a region particularly afflicted by the flames.

This isn’t Arkansas’s first act of support. Governor Sanders had earlier authorized the Arkansas Department of Agriculture to dispatch a division supervisor to helm the operations at Tiger Island. Additionally, the state has provided two Black Hawk helicopters, specifically to suppress the raging fires. Further bolstering their efforts, the Forestry Division is equipping the team with trucks and ATVs, each fitted with water tanks, to aid the firefighting operations.

As Louisiana confronts one of its challenging periods, the solidarity shown by Arkansas emphasizes the importance of interstate cooperation during times of crisis.