Plainview

Recognized Firewise Community/USA

In the summer of 2003, a group of firefighters and public safety officals formed the Yell County Firewise Board to protect their communities from wildland fire. Several volunteer fire departments in Yell County surveyed their communities and completed Firewise evaluations of the residences.

Original Yell County Firewise board members were Kurt Radcliff, chair, U.S. Forest Service, Fourche Ranger District-District FMO; Ricky Day, vice chair; Yell County Fire Coordinator; Hoyt Ensey, secretary/treasurer, Danville FD Fire Chief; Carney Potter, Aly-Chula FD Fire Chief; Kenneth Jackson, Belleville FD Fire Chief; Grady Sullivan, Briggsville VFD Fire Chief; John Garner, Chickalah FD Fire Chief; Carl Gross, Dardanelle FD Fire Chief; Chris Eagleson, Galla Rock FD Fire Chief; Thomas Ernst, Havana FD Fire Chief; Bill Payne, Mount Nebo Rural FD Fire Chief; Ritchie Tippin, Ola FD Fire Chief; Bobby Smith, Plainview FD Fire Chief; R. Blankenship, Rover Rural VFD Fire Chief; William O'Bryant, West Fourche FD Fire Chief; George Morris, AFC County Ranger; Charles Smith, Yell County 911 Director; Jimmy Witt, Yell County Judge, and Bill Gilkey, Yell County Sheriff.

The original Yell County Firewise board was later reorganized into five separate boards, and all five towns — Centerville, Danville, Dutch Creek, Mount George and Plainview — were recognized as Firewise Communities/USA on Dec. 21, 2004.