Tuesday, February 24, another increased risk of wildfire danger is back in Arkansas. Warmer air, blustery winds, dry air, and the ongoing drought all intersect to create prime conditions for a wildfire to spread quickly and be hard to contain if sparked.
Ahead of Tuesday, a lot of helpful prescribed burns are taking place across Arkansas on Monday, February 23.
Prescribed burns are conducted by officials and professionals with fire training and safety in mind. They clear dry brush and vegetation that would otherwise be a hazard for a wildfire to spark and spread in certain areas. There are other benefits of prescribed burning for the ecosystem, too. Many ecosystems need fire to flourish.
Tuesday is the highest wildfire risk day this week in Arkansas. More moisture in the air on Wednesday means the risk will be a bit lower, and scattered light showers on Thursday mean there’s only a very low risk on Thursday. Conditions dry out on Friday with warm air sticking around, so the risk is moderate.
Tuesday will be blustery. Winds out of the southwest will gust between 25 and 35 miles per hour. Some gusts may be higher than that, with isolated gusts of 40 miles per hour and above possible. These southwesterly winds also usher in warmer air. While Tuesday will start cold, temperatures will warm into the 60s and the 70s across much of Arkansas.
Humidity will be higher to start Tuesday, but dry air filters in quickly. Relative humidity values below 30% are expected for many by Tuesday afternoon (especially in western Arkansas), which means the air will be very dry.
The drought hasn’t improved very much in the past few months. It’s actually just gotten worse, little by little, since the fall of 2025. That means there’s plenty of dry vegetation to act as dry fuel across the Natural State. Think of how a campfire is made: with kindling that’s dry and logs that are dry. That’s how much of the vegetation is across Arkansas, meaning it’s perfect dry fuel for any spark to ignite and create a wildfire with ample fuel amounts.
Burn bans are in place in a number of counties across Arkansas. As of noon on Monday, February 23, burn bans are in effect for Lafayette, White, Van Buren, Cleburne, Sharp, Independence, Searcy, Boone, Carroll, Benton, Madison, and Johnson Counties. More will likely be added.
The wildfire risk statewide has jumped to moderate or high for all counties in Arkansas since last week. More counties may be added to the high category before Tuesday.
Practice wildfire safety precautions on Tuesday. Even if your county isn’t under a burn ban, it’s strongly recommended to avoid outdoor burning, any outdoor activity involving open flame or sparks, and be cautious of any activity involving friction on or near dry vegetation.
As long as the drought continues, any day coming up with dry air, blustery winds, and warmer air will mean an elevated risk for wildfire danger will be present. It only takes one spark…