The Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas are urging farmers to exercise caution and follow all safety measures before burning harvest field debris, brush piles, fence rows or other fires of similar nature.
Failure to follow burning safety practices can result in inconvenience for consumers and added expenses for farmers. Poles and power line infrastructure damage can cause power outages for consumers and farmers will be charged for the damage.
Burning stubble is a quick and efficient way of prepping the land for planting, and most farmers do take precautions to avoid igniting power poles. Unfortunately, a recent incident in northeast Arkansas resulted in damaging a wooden utility structure. The integrity of the structure was assessed and it will have to be replaced. Damages were estimated to be at least $15,000.
The Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas comprise 17 electric distribution cooperatives; Arkansas Electric Cooperatives, Inc. (AECI), a Little Rock-based cooperative that provides services to the distribution cooperatives; and Arkansas Electric Cooperative Corp. (AECC), a generation and transmission cooperative. The distribution cooperatives provide electricity to approximately 600,000 members, or customers, in Arkansas and surrounding states.
