FORT SMITH, Ark. — Emergency crews worked to put out a wildfire that spread from Fort Chaffee to Greenwood that caused a massive cloud of smoke seen across Fort Smith and the River Valley Tuesday evening.
According to Lt. Col. Will Phillips with the Arkansas National Guard, during routine training on Fort Chaffee’s military land machine gun range on July 12, a tracer tracking moving bullets sparked a small fire.
A tracer sometimes uses a trail of flames or smoke to track bullets, though the Arkansas National Guard did not confirm which method.
The Arkansas National Guard has suspended any use of tracers at Fort Chaffee until weather conditions improve.
Residents in the Hilltop area of Greenwood were evacuated after the fire jumped a fire break at Fort Chaffee, according to the Sebastian County Sheriff's Office (SCSO). The Ed Wilkinson Pavilion in Bell Park was open to evacuees.
The Greenwood Police Chief confirmed that 20+ homes along Norwood Drive were evacuated and checked on. The fire department tried to soak the land around those homes to keep the fire from spreading to them.
Officials say everyone who evacuated can now return home. They may see smoke and embers, but if they see anything that causes concern, they’re asked to call 911.
Dozers from Fort Chaffee and Greenwood worked to clear vegetation so the fire didn’t jump and spread.
The Fort Chaffee Fire Department contained the fire while municipal and rural departments protected property on the Northside of Greenwood near Norwood Drive, Hilltop Drive and Pine Street.
The American Red Cross was on-site supporting with water for first responders.
It took roughly three hours to contain and by Wednesday, 100% of the fire was contained in Sebastian County.
Officials say about 20 acres of private property were burned but no injuries have been reported at this time. There is some minor damage to grass and trees around the area.
Greenwood Mayor Doug Kinslow says there was an incredible response from the community and first responders were on the scene of the fire within half an hour assisting from the Greenwood side.
“All the residents here and above the hill, up here, have been standing by with water and snacks for the firemen and everybody involved, so it’s just as always, it’s a community thing,” Mayor Kinslow said. “Been here all my life, so this is home.”
Large grassfire in Sebastian County
Donna Stam has called the Maple Ridge Heights neighborhood home for about three years.
“I live by myself… my little dog,” Stam said. “I’m 82.”
Stam along with neighbors packed up what they could after a plume of smoke took over the area.
“We don’t want to evacuate our homes,” Stam said. “You don’t know what to do first, you know, what to save.”
Neighbors also watered their homes with garden hoses or had Greenwood firefighters water them in fear of the fire spreading in their direction.
“They said, 'to just be prepared and ready,'” said Faithfully Montez, a resident of the Maple Ridge Heights neighborhood. “Clothes on and shoes on to be ready if it comes to that.”
Montez, her husband, animals and two kids were home when the fire began to grow.
“At first it was just the smoke,” Montez said. “We saw a huge cloud over there and then it started covering the whole…all up there.” Montez says she saw ashes falling from the sky and jumped into action, preparing for the worst.
“It’s scary actually because you don’t know, would it be the last minute when they come knocking on your door,” Montez said.
The entire state of Arkansas was put under a "moderate" wildfire risk this week and several counties are under burn bans due to the dry conditions.
Officials say this area experienced a previous large fire in 2011, damaging at least one home.
More information will be released as it becomes available.
RELATED: Burn bans in place across Arkansas
DOWNLOAD THE 5NEWS APP
DOWNLOAD FOR IPHONE HERE | DOWNLOAD FOR ANDROID HERE
HOW TO ADD THE 5NEWS APP TO YOUR STREAMING DEVICE
ROKU: add the channel from the ROKU store or by searching for KFSM in the Channel Store.
For Fire TV, search for "KFSM" to find the free app to add to your account. Another option for Fire TV is to have the app delivered directly to your Fire TV through Amazon.
To report a typo or grammatical error, please email KFSMDigitalTeam@tegna.com.