ROLLA, Mo., —It has been a busy couple days for firefighting resources across Missouri, especially on Mark Twain National Forest. Engines, firefighters, dozer operators, and many more USDA Forest Service resources from the Forest have dropped other projects to respond to wildfires that have popped up in areas across the Forest’s 1.5 million acres. In fact, additional resources arrived today to assist with the widespread responses. The Chief Mountain Crew from Montana came down to Missouri from Michigan to help. The Ukanom from Six Rivers National Forest in California also arrived today, traveling from Oklahoma, to join in the wild-land firefighting.
Mark Twain National Forest covers ground across the central and southern parts of Missouri; and fires have been occurring in just about every unit of the Forest over the past 48 hours. The quick response from on-Forest resources shows the professional capability of the Forest’s wildland fire organization; but also demonstrates its reliance on solid partnerships to succeed in during challenging times of drought and wind like we have been seeing. Here is a snapshot of wildfire response across the Forest over the past two days:
- Poplar Bluff had the Ginger Fire for 1/10 of an acre
- The Eleven Point Ranger District had three fires, with North Bartlett at 5 acres being the largest.
- The Potosi-Fredericktown Ranger District had a large fire – the Pigeon Roost Fire, at 532 acres.
- The Salem Ranger District had two fires with the Burrus Fire reaching 24 acres in size.
- On the Houston/Rolla/Cedar Creek Ranger District, the Houston and Rolla units had five fires in total, including the Turley Fire at 200 acres and the Liberty Fire at 200 acres.
- On the Willow Unit of the Ava/Cassville/Willow Springs Ranger District, there was the Union Grove Church Fire, which was stopped at 12 acres in size; and of course, the Sugar Fire on the Ava Unit was the largest fire and required the biggest response.
Being able to catch so many fires in a short timeframe and keep them from growing large, even when wind and dry fuels are working against firefighters, is a testament to preparedness and to excellent collaboration. The agreements that are in place for mutual aid help tremendously. Without the help from the firefighting partner jurisdictions including the state, county, city, rural, and volunteer fire departments, some of these fires would have grown larger and threatened more public and private property. Many of the fires that were stopped over the last few days were initially responded to by these partners, and often they were fought side-by-side with them.
Mark Twain National Forest leadership wants to thank all our cooperators for their dedication and responsiveness. They also want to thank the public and Forest neighbors that have chosen to be fire safe and that have done their part to support past prescribed burns, only burning leaves and piles when safe to do so, and that are practicing campfire safety. As Smokey Bear says, “Only you can prevent wildfires.”