Firewise Recognition Day

Clinton Presidential Library 2006

Because of their efforts to reduce the vulnerability of homes and landscapes to wildfire, 19 Arkansas communities have earned Firewise Communities/USA® recognition from the National Firewise Communities program.

A luncheon and recognition ceremony was held in their honor Dec. 14, 2006 in the Garden View Room of the Clinton Presidential Library in Little Rock. The Carroll County communities of Alpena, Blue Eye, Coin, Denver, Grassy Knob, Green Forest, Hugh, Maple, Oak Grove and Yocum were honored during the 11 a.m. session. Appleton, Bald Knob, Cairo, Calion, Dallas Valley, Hatley, Point Cedar, Unity-Frost Prairie and Y-City were honored in the afternoon.

"Many rural fire departments in Arkansas operate on limited funding, personnel and resources. These departments would be unable to protect every home should a large-scale wildland fire occur," said Christina Fowler, Information Officer for Arkansas FireWise. "Many Arkansans believe wildfires are a 'Western' problem, but since January, more than 46,000 acres have burned in Arkansas. By recognizing the risk and taking steps to educate and involve residents, these communities have greatly reduced the potential loss of homes should a wildfire occur."

As of Dec. 14, 2006, there were 63 Firewise Communities in Arkansas, with many more working through the certification process.

To receive Firewise Communities/USA recognition, each community met a rigorous set of requirements: A Firewise board was established in each community; wildfire risk assessments were completed for each home within the community; a Community Wildfire Protection Plan was developed to address safety concerns, and each community either hosted a Firewise Educational event, or participated in a project to reduce the wildfire hazard around a home or public property.

Working through the National Association of State Foresters (NASF), state forestry agencies support the Firewise Communities/USA recognition effort. The program is a nationwide initiative that recognizes communities for taking action to protect people and properties from the risk of fire in the wildland/urban interface. This program is of special interest to small communities and neighborhood associations that are willing to mitigate against wildfire by adopting and implementing programs tailored to their needs. The communities create the programs themselves with cooperative assistance from state forestry agencies and local fire staff.

For more information about a community, click on the highlighted name in the photo's caption. Representatives from the communities of Hatley and Y City were unable to attend.

Alpena, Coin, Denver and Hugh

Accepting a plaque and highway signs on behalf of the communities of Alpena, Hugh, Denver and Coin was Beth Randleman, Alpena Fire Chief. Also pictured are John Shannon, State Forester; Tony Siciliano, FireWise Consultant; Patricia Siciliano, FireWise Consulant; Michele Steinberg, Firewise Communities Support Manager, and Don McBride, Assistant State Forester-Protection.

Grassy Knob

Accepting a plaque and highway signs on behalf of the community of Grassy Knob are Pete Hackley, FireWise board member; Joe Luker, FireWise board member, and Ted Meyer, FireWise board member. Also pictured are John Shannon, State Forester; Tony Siciliano, FireWise Consultant; Patricia Siciliano, FireWise Consulant; Michele Steinberg, Firewise Communities Support Manager, and Don McBride, Assistant State Forester-Protection.

Green Forest

Accepting a plaque and highway signs on behalf of the community of Green Forest is Bill Doyle, FireWise board member. Also pictured are John Shannon, State Forester; Tony Siciliano, FireWise Consultant; Patricia Siciliano, FireWise Consultant; Michele Steinberg, Firewise Communities Support Manager, and Don McBride, Assistant State Forester-Protection.

Oak Grove, Blue Eye, Maple and Yocum

Accepting a plaque and highway signs on behalf of the communities of Oak Grove, Blue Eye, Maple and Yocum are Josh Arnold, Oak Grove Fire Department, and Steve Allen, Oak Grove Fire Chief. Also pictured are John Shannon, State Forester; Tony Siciliano, FireWise Consultant; Patricia Siciliano, FireWise Consultant; Michele Steinberg, Firewise Communities Support Manager, and Don McBride, Assistant State Forester-Protection.

Appleton

Accepting a plaque and highway signs on behalf of the community of Appleton are James Housley, FireWise board member; Ola Faie Condley, FireWise board member, and Veo Condley, Firewise board member. Also pictured are John Shannon, State Forester; Glen Fortenberry, Fire Team Leader, Ouachita & Ozark-St. Francis National Forests; Michele Steinberg, Firewise Communities Support Manager, and Don McBride, Assistant State Forester-Protection.

Cairo

Accepting a plaque and highway signs on behalf of the community of Cairo is Tom Galbraith, FireWise board member. Also pictured are John Shannon, State Forester; Chris Ludwig, Union County Ranger; Glen Fortenberry, Fire Team Leader, Ouachita & Ozark-St. Francis National Forests; Michele Steinberg, Firewise Communities Support Manager, and Don McBride, Assistant State Forester-Protection.

Calion

Accepting a plaque and highway signs on behalf of the community of Calion are Karen Evans, Calion Mayor, and Roy Dison, Calion Fire Chief. Also pictured are John Shannon, State Forester; Chris Ludwig, Union County Ranger; Glen Fortenberry, Fire Team Leader, Ouachita and Ozark-St. Francis National Forests; Michele Steinberg, Firewise Communities Support Manager, and Don McBride, Assistant State Forester-Protection.

Bald Knob

Accepting a plaque and highway signs on behalf of the community of Bald Knob is Danny Holobaugh, Bald Knob Fire Chief. Also pictured are John Shannon, State Forester; Lowell Altom, Ranger II-White County; Glen Fortenberry, Fire Team Leader, Ouachita and Ozark-St. Francis National Forest; Michele Steinberg, Firewise Communities Support Manager, and Don McBride, Assistant State Forester-Protection.

Dallas Valley

Accepting a plaque and highway signs on behalf of the community of Dallas Valley are Glenn Pearce, Dallas Valley President of the Board of Directors, and Gerald Brewer, Dallas Valley Fire Chief. Also pictured are John Shannon, State Forester; Eric Smith, Polk County Ranger; Glen Fortenberry, Fire Team Leader, Ouachita and Ozark-St. Francis National Forest; Michele Steinberg, Firewise Communities Support Manager, and Don McBride, Assistant State Forester-Protection.

Point Cedar

Accepting a plaque and highway signs on behalf of the community of Point Cedar is Robert Scott, FireWise board member. Also pictured are John Shannon, State Forester; Dennis Sharp, Garland County Forester; Glen Fortenberry, Fire Team Leader, Ouachita & Ozark-St. Francis National Forests; Michele Steinberg, Firewise Communities Support Manager, and Don McBride, Assistant State Forester-Protection.

Unity-Frost Prairie

Accepting a plaque and highway signs on behalf of the community of Unity Frost Prairie are Dan Kersey, FireWise board member; Judy Kersey, FireWise board member; Nelsene Tutt, FireWise board member, and Fred Tutt, Unity-Frost Prairie Fire Chief. Also pictured are Jody Perritt, Ashley County Ranger; John Shannon, State Forester; Glen Fortenberry, Ouachita & Ozark-St. Francis National Forests; Michele Steinberg, Firewise Communities Support Manager; Don McBride, Assistant State Forester-Protection, and Joe Friend, District Forester-District 1.