RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – In the whole world, Russellville might currently be the most protected from wildfires after the Arkansas River Valley Wildland Fire Academy broke a record in 2025.
Almost a thousand firefighters from 28 states have been sharpening their skills at Arkansas Tech University’s campus over the past two weeks.
More than 800 students and almost 100 instructors are not all on campus at once, but they are arriving and leaving as needed for classes. The large event is similar to others happening at least once a month in different regions across America.
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Simulations, roleplaying and hands-on experiences go hand in hand with in-class instruction. Griffin Dombey of Coeburn, Virginia, is in Arkansas for the first time because he needed training for wildfires that meet urban areas.
“It’s great to see the country. Hoping to grow off the things I learn this week,” Dombey said.
His class is one of about a dozen classes taught each day between two buildings at Arkansas Tech University each summer. ATU liaison to the Arkansas River Valley Wildland Fire Academy, Kathi McMahan, explained that firefighters from out of state arrive as early as the day after most students leave.
“We have graduation on Friday and Saturday and then we roll into the start of the fire academy,” she said.
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From Monday, May 12, through Friday, May 23 officials said 24 courses are taught. ATU partners with the U.S. Forest Service, the Arkansas Department of Forestry and several other federal and state agencies to plan what courses are most needed each year.
Kari Hines is a class instructor from the Texas A&M Forest Service at the academy for the first time in 2025. She said the academy reminds her of how tight-knit the firefighting career is.
“I have seen people over the last few days that I last saw in Montana, because we were all fighting a fire together,” Hines said.
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While firefighters may learn prevention, leadership, operations and new equipment, people outside the classroom benefit the most.
“We’ve had fires everywhere this year, and I think very close to home when it was in Little Rock, and so happy to know that they have the training that they have and willing to put their lives on the line,” McMahan said.
Learn more about the academy at ArkansasWildlandFireAcademy.com.
