Beaver

Recognized Firewise Community/USA

The township of Beaver, population 100, was inspired by its Carroll County neighbor Holiday Island to become a Firewise Community/USA in 2005.

A board was formed, homes were assessed, and a Firewise plan was created. Members of the Beaver Township Firewise board reviewed risk assessments and maps of their community. The original 12-member board included Mayor Chadd Hipps (chairman), Tim Adams, Chris Lester, Peggy Kjelaard, Jim Dykes, Sherrell Dykes, Mary Hill, Buz Peine, Sue Simler, Jack Deaton, FireWise Consultant Tony Siciliano, and AFC Carroll County Ranger Darrell Bohannon.

The Beaver Firewise board took on its city park at Table Rock Lake as its first mitigation project. (Photos below)

The board chose a wooded area between Feathercreek Road and Highway 187 as the site of the Beaver community's 2007 wildfire mitigation project. The project took 10 days and 17 volunteers to complete.

Beaver is also the location of the March 2007 Arkansas FireWise Home of the Month. The home of Bill and LaDonna Padgett is located on Feather Creek Road. Bill Padgett serves as the board chairman of the Beaver Firewise board and is a volunteer firefighter for the Holiday Island Fire Department.