A new training resource that will help personnel from government agencies and Arkansas Tech University students learn how to manage wildfires in the Natural State is making its debut at the 2026 Arkansas River Valley Wildland Fire Academy.
Wesley McKinney, an ATU alumnus and fire management officer for the Arkansas Department of Agriculture Forestry Division, took the lead in utilizing a U.S. Forest Service grant to purchase a Simtable system.
The Simtable projects a map with accurate topography of a specified area onto a four-sided surface. Data inputs allow for the simulation of a wildfire or prescribed burn, complete with weather conditions and response mechanisms such as aircraft and bulldozers.
“We will use this in training for younger firefighters who are moving into decision making roles,” said McKinney. “By coming to the table and using the tactics they believe will be most effective, they can see it play out and learn from that so they know how to engage fires in the real world. This simulation happens in real time because it has the production rates built into the model.”
McKinney said that practicing with resources such as the Simtable can help less experienced firefighters become more prepared for the stress they will face when they take their training to the field.
“When it comes to real life, they can revert back to their training and what they learned through the simulation,” said McKinney. “This (topographic) map puts the fire on a landscape so you can see what is driving it. They will see a wide variety of fire behavior with this simulation. It’s a good tool that we can move across the state. I know Arkansas Tech is going to use it in the basic firefighting class they teach here.”
McKinney went on to explain that additional governmental agencies will use the Simtable in the fall to help plan future prescribed burns.
Founded in 1998, the Arkansas River Valley Wildland Fire Academy is a partnership between Arkansas Tech, the U.S. Forest Service, the Arkansas Department of Agriculture Forestry Division and several other federal and state agencies.
This year’s academy began on Monday, May 11, and continues through Friday, May 22. By the time it concludes, the 2026 Arkansas River Valley Wildland Fire Academy will have served approximately 800 individuals representing approximately 30 states. A total of 28 courses are being offered.
Dr. Cathi McMahan, ATU professor of tourism, is the lead fire academy organizer for Arkansas Tech.
Learn more about the Arkansas River Valley Wildland Fire Academy at www.arkansaswildlandfireacademy.com.
Learn more about the ATU tourism program at www.atu.edu/tourism.
