| Date of Event | Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2026 (activation announced) |
|---|---|
| Primary Location | Calhoun County, near Camden; State Emergency Operations Center, North Little Rock |
| Key Entities | Arkansas Division of Emergency Management (ADEM); Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office; Arkansas Department of Agriculture |
| Outcome | State Emergency Operations Center at Level 1 (full activation) |
NORTH LITTLE ROCK — The Arkansas Division of Emergency Management (ADEM) activated the State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) to Level 1, full activation, on Sept. 15, 2026, for a wildfire in Calhoun County. ADEM said the activation lets state agencies and partners coordinate and support firefighting as conditions change.
What ADEM Is Doing for the Calhoun County Wildfire
ADEM is working with state, local and federal agencies to monitor fire behavior and evaluate threats to communities and infrastructure. SEOC staff will help county officials and coordinate resources. ADEM says it will post updates and asks the public to follow guidance from local officials.
Bunker Fire Evacuations and Shelters
Radio station KTLO identified the blaze as the Bunker Fire, burning in the Highland Industrial Park near Camden. Per the Arkansas Department of Agriculture’s wildfire map, it had grown past 2,300 acres by 7 a.m. Tuesday, KTLO reported.
- Evacuation order: The Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office ordered residents north of Highway 278 between Calhoun Road 10 and Calhoun Road 95 to leave on Monday.
- SAU Tech: Southern Arkansas University Tech moved on-campus students to the Camden Fairview High School gym as a precaution. They have since returned.
- Shelters: Victory Baptist Church in Hampton, the Hampton High School library and Hampton First Assembly of God Church
- Burn bans: The Department of Agriculture says the state remains at high risk for wildfires, with burn bans in many counties
Where to Get Updates
Call ADEM at 501-683-6700 or visit adem.arkansas.gov. Check with your county sheriff’s office and judge’s office for local burn bans. Follow-up coverage: Calhoun County wildfire nearly contained and Mississippi and Oklahoma send Chinook helicopters to the Bunker Fire. More: weather and emergency alerts.
Sources: ADEM news release via Arkansas DPS (Sept. 15, 2026); KTLO (Sept. 15, 2026).
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