Military helicopters from Oklahoma and Mississippi joined Arkansas crews Friday to fight the Bunker Fire near Camden, expanding a response to a wildfire that had burned 2,849 acres and was 75% contained in the latest public update.
The Arkansas Division of Emergency Management requested the additional aviation support as the fire continued near Highland Industrial Park in Calhoun County. According to reporting based on state and National Guard announcements, Mississippi sent a five-person crew and Oklahoma sent a six-person crew, each operating a Chinook helicopter equipped with a 2,000-gallon water bucket. The visiting crews were expected to remain through Monday and return Tuesday.
Arkansas had already committed four Black Hawk helicopters, two bulldozers, a fire plow and military operators. A Defense Department visual record posted September 18 shows Arkansas Army National Guard dozers cutting a break near Camden on September 16 to limit the fire’s spread and protect areas behind the line. The operation combines air drops with ground work rather than relying on aircraft alone.
The interagency wildfire dashboard listed the Bunker Fire at 2,849 acres and 75% containment in Friday’s update. Containment describes the portion of a perimeter crews expect to hold; it does not mean the fire is extinguished. Officials reported no injuries or structure damage, and residents who had been evacuated were allowed to return Tuesday, but the response remained active.
The broader state conditions explain why officials continued to treat the incident as consequential after evacuations ended. The Arkansas Department of Agriculture’s fire-danger and burn-ban map showed all 75 counties at high wildfire risk and 69 counties under burn bans Friday. Because those designations can change with weather and local orders, residents should use the state map and county notices rather than assuming a neighboring county’s rules apply.
The fire’s location also raises an economic and public-safety concern beyond the acreage. Highland Industrial Park hosts major defense manufacturing operations, making protection of the industrial area a priority even though officials had not reported damage there. ADEM Director A.J. Gary said the out-of-state aviation support strengthened the ability of state and local agencies to contain the fire.
The reinforcement also shows the scale of the response at its Friday peak. Mississippi’s crew began flying that morning, Oklahoma’s was expected to start later in the day, and both aircraft were scheduled to work alongside Arkansas aviation and ground resources. Those deployments were requested through emergency-management channels rather than replacing local command.
For residents, the practical picture is improving but not finished: Friday’s containment figure was substantial, no casualties were reported and evacuation orders had been lifted, yet aircraft and ground crews were still scheduled for several more days of suppression work. Anyone near the affected area should continue to follow Calhoun County emergency instructions, avoid restricted fire zones and check the live state dashboard before traveling or burning outdoors.
