Lawrence County, AR Office of Emergency Management

09/01/2026

Walnut Ridge residents, just a Friendly reminder that we will be testing our Tornado Sirens tomorrow, September 2nd at Noon. 🚨
(Sirens will not be tested on days where there is a risk of severe weather)

08/31/2026

As of Today Monday, August 31, 2026, The Arkansas Forestry Commission has upgraded a large portion of Arkansas to a HIGH RISK of Wildfire Danger in the orange color. A Burn Ban remains in effect for the counties in the checkered area including Lawrence County and will remain under a Burn Ban until the County Judge determines conditions have improved significantly.

08/29/2026

Fire departments from across the area gathered today at Cook’s Wrecker Service in Walnut Ridge for hands-on auto extrication training hosted by the Three Rivers District of the Arkansas State Firefighters Association.

Firefighters from Walnut Ridge, Imboden, Maynard, Cave City, Lynn, and Saffell participated in the training, working together to sharpen their skills and enhance their ability to safely and effectively extricate patients from motor vehicle collisions.

The training was instructed by Dixie Rescue Solutions, providing firefighters with valuable hands-on experience and practical techniques that can make a difference during real-world emergencies.

We appreciate all of the departments and firefighters who took the time to participate, as well as Cook’s Wrecker Service and Dixie Rescue Solutions for helping make this training possible.

08/28/2026

Update: as of 8:20 PM all lanes are back open and the accident has been cleared.

8-28-2026 7:20 PM Southbound lanes and 1 Northbound lane is open. Towing and Recovery crews remain on scene.

8-28-2026 3:20 PM
Highway 63 near Lawrence Road 702 at Sedgwick is closed due to a multiple vehicle accident. Expect delays for several hours.

08/26/2026

Reminder that the Burn Ban for Lawrence County is still in effect.

Judge Barnhill has issued a Burn Ban for Lawrence County until further notice.

08/26/2026

A Severe Thunderstorm Watch has been issued until 10:00 PM on 8-26-2026. Damaging Wind Gusts and Hail are the main threats.

08/24/2026

Update: As of 4:05 PM this incident is cleared.

8-24-2026 2:15 PM

I-57 Northbound at the US 412 Exit is moving slowly due to a Semi Rollover.

Use caution if traveling in the area and be aware of emergency vehicles and towing and recovery operations.

08/23/2026

As of 8:50 PM on Saturday, August 22, 2026 , 467 customers are reported to be out of power from this afternoon's thunderstorms. Power crews from Craighead Electric and Entergy will be working into the night to restore power.

Please report any structural damage to us via our page or by email at [email protected]

08/22/2026

Update:

Crews are continuing to assess widespread damage across our service territory.

So far, we have identified:
• 11 broken poles
• 3 broken crossarms
• Several spans of wire down

We currently have outages in nearly every county we serve. Crews are assessing damage and working to restore power as quickly and safely as possible.

With damage this widespread, restoration will take time. We appreciate your patience as our crews work through each affected area.

We have multiple outages across our service territory at this time. You can visit our outage map online at https://outagecraigheadelectriccoop.ecark.org/. We are working to get everything resolved as quickly and safely as possible. We appreciate your patience.

Members can report outages:
💡On the SmartHub app
💡Texting OUT to 85700
💡Calling 888.771.7772

To enroll in text message notifications, you can:
🤳Text “CECC” to 85700

Once enrolled, members can also:
📲Text OUT to 85700 to report an outage
📲Text STATUS to 85700 for an outage update

08/20/2026

🔥Wildfire risk is increased across Arkansas, and the Department of Agriculture is asking residents to stay alert and use caution. Dry weather has made it easier for fires to start and harder to keep them contained, which means even small outdoor fires can spread quickly under the right conditions.

Report wildfires: 1‑800‑468‑8834

Report prescribed burns: 1‑800‑830‑8015

View county risk levels and burn bans: https://mip.agri.arkansas.gov/agtools/Forestry/Fire_Info

View current wildfires: https://nifc.maps.arcgis.com/apps/dashboards/34991c7fefb64ad7a89cb3905d1c6398 #

Updates will continue on our official social media channels.