Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Fires Destroys 225 Acres In Nevada County

Fire destroyed approximately 225 acres in Nevada County Wednesday, Aug. 30.

According to William Mullins, with the Nevada County Rescue Unit, the first fire was on Highway 24 East near the Upchurch Community, while the other began on Interstate 30 at the 51 mile marker.

This put firefighters in the region battling blazes on two fronts. Mullins said fire departments from across Nevada County, Gurdon and Perrytown, along with the Arkansas Forestry Commission, came to help fight the fires.

Helicopters were called in to drop water on the flames from above, while the firemen worked to protect homes and property on the ground.

Mullins said a cigarette tossed from a vehicle most likely started the fire on I-30, but there is no known cause for the fire on Highway 24.

Firefighters thought they had the fire along I-30 put out, only to have it reignite, forcing them to return and fight it again, after it jumped a firebreak.

Firemen also had to go back to the fire on Highway 24 a second time as well as it reignited after being thought to be out.

At 11 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 31, Mullins said, firemen were again called out to the 5-Way Market area where a barn owned by Wesley Henderson was destroyed by a rekindled fire.

The barn, Mullins said, was fully engulfed in flames by the time firemen arrived. It was completely destroyed, as was a car nearby.

According to Mullins, there was hay in the barn, along with dried lumber.

"It was rough," he said of fighting the fires. "The firemen did a good job and we didn't lose any houses. We could have around the Upchurch Community."

In addition, no firefighters were injured in the melee, nor did any succumb to the heat, according to Mullins.

He said there was plenty of water available for the firemen, and they took breaks on hosing the flames to give one another time to rest.