MDC staff fought more than 80 wildfires around Missouri last week

by Joe Jerek, Missouri Department of Conservation 


Dry conditions and high winds sparked hundreds of wildfires around Missouri last week, primarily on March 13 and 14 before severe thunderstorms and tornados swept into the state and quenched many of the blazes. According to the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC), partnering fire departments and MDC staff reported 224 wildfires covering more than 15,500 acres between March 10-16. While more than 20 homes and numerous vehicles and outbuildings were lost to the flames, there were no reported injuries or deaths.

More than 90 specially trained MDC staff responded to 83 of the wildfires around the state, covering nearly 9,000 acres. 

“We are so very thankful for everyone’s efforts in fighting these fires,” said MDC Fire Program Coordinator Ben Webster. “We greatly appreciate the expertise, hard work, and long hours from our staff, the U.S. Forest Service, the National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and especially the many rural fire departments who are such vital partners in these efforts.”

According to MDC, the Camdenton area in central Missouri had 42 fires with a total of 6,086 acres burned, including 761 acres on Granny’s Acres Conservation Area in Benton County. More than 30 MDC staff responded.

Several dozen MDC staff assisted with a 150-acre fire on private land near Milan in northeast Missouri. They also fought a 78-acre wildfire on Big Creek Conservation Area in Adair County and a one-acre fire on nearby Sugar Creek Conservation Area. 

MDC staff fought 19 fires in the Ozark region of the state covering nearly 1,500 acres, including nearly 300 acres of conservation lands. MDC reported that extreme weather conditions had one of its teams fighting a fire one minute and then taking shelter in a Dent County homeowner’s basement for a tornado warning the next.

MDC staff in the St. Louis region assisted with six separate fires covering nearly 300 acres, including in Davisville, on Highway 47 near Potosi, and on 178 acres at River 'Round Conservation Area in Franklin County, and on nearly 80 acres on the Glassberg Family Conservation Area in Jefferson County.

MDC staff in southwest counties responded to nine wildfires that consumed 583 acres, including 75 acres on Comstock Prairie Conservation Area in Barton County with the rest on private land. Staff also assisted the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) on a 173-acre fire that burned part of its Seligman Hollow area and private land.

More than two dozen MDC staff in southeast Missouri responded to five fires that consumed more than 300 acres, including a 115-acre blaze on USFS and private land south of Flatwoods Conservation Area in Wayne County and a fire on 110 acres of private lands northeast of Des Arc in Iron County. Staff contained a 26-acre fire on Magnolia Hollow Conservation Area in Genevieve County. Staff also assisted local fire departments in containing a 48-acre fire on private land in Ste Genevieve County and a 12-acre fire on private land in Reynolds County north of Current River Conservation Area.

While these fires have been contained and extinguished, the National Weather Service still has Red Flag Warnings for parts of Missouri. A red flag warning is issued to inform the public, firefighters, and land management agencies that conditions are ideal for wildfire ignition and rapid spread. These include drought conditions or warm weather with very low humidity and high or erratic winds. Learn more at www.weather.gov/.

Some wildfires are set by vandals. Help stop arson by calling Operation Forest Arson at 800-392-1111. Callers will remain anonymous and rewards are possible. 

Learn how to help prevent wildfires at mdc.mo.gov/your-property/fire-management/wildfire-prevention.

MDC staff worked with the Bakersfield Fire Department and the Missouri State Highway Patrol to contain and suppress a recent wildfire threatening the Ozark County town. The fire consumed some structures and a vehicle before it was contained (shown). Photo credit: MDC