Emilee Speck
Updated Mon, August 28, 2023
Prayers for rain continue in Louisiana as more than 400 wildfires continue to envelop the Bayou State in smoke during extreme drought and heat conditions.
The excessive heat, extreme drought and low humidity levels of around 20% have contributed to dangerous fire conditions across Central and Southern Louisiana, where Fire Weather Warnings remain in place on Monday.
Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards said in a news conference over the weekend 441 different forest fires are burning in Louisiana, many burning out of control. The wildfire smoke continues to blanket Central and Southern Louisiana with moderate air quality levels based on the Air Quality Index. The air quality near Lake Charles reached "Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups" on the AQI as of Monday morning.
The governor said the ongoing heat wave baking Louisiana has made the firefight exceptionally difficult and increased the severity of the drought conditions.
"It's clear this firefight is far from over, just as these dangerously dry conditions are far from over," Louisiana State Fire Marshal's Office wrote on X. "As we head into another week, we pray for rain, for patience & for cooperation with the statewide burn ban."
A statewide burn ban is in place until further notice. Those who violate the ban will face charges.
Louisiana State Fire Marshal Dan Wallis said over the weekend an 84-year-old woman died after collapsing while burning debris on her Folsom property. Fire crews discovered her while extinguishing a fire on the property. She was taken to the hospital where she later died.
"Our hearts are broken for this family tonight," Wallis said in a statement. "This is a horrific situation that should stun every single person in this state. These conditions are not exaggerated and they affect every one of us, even if you can't see the flames and your community isn't under threat of wildfire today. Doing any activity involving fire right now can lead to tragedy for you, your loved ones, your neighbors and your community."
An Independence, Louisiana man was recently charged with violating the burn ban leading to a brush fire, according to the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry. According to a news release, the fire started when the 41-year-old man was burning trash, and the flames spread into a neighboring pine plantation owned by a local timber company, eventually consuming more than 170 acres.
Seventeen parishes throughout the state are under local states of emergency because of fires.
One of Louisiana's larger fires, the Tiger Island Fire, continues burning near Merryville. The Beauregard Parish Sheriff's Office estimates that the fire has burned more than 60,000 acres as of Monday with 50% containment.
The fire is consuming 5 miles in 15 minutes.
"This is unprecedented for this area and many of the firefighters combating this massive fire," according to the Sheriff's Office.
The Sheriff's Office issued new evacuation orders late Saturday and moved an animal shelter from the Fair Grounds to Burton Colosseum in Lake Charles because of evacuations. The sheriff's office estimates about 22 structures have been destroyed by the fire.
WHY FIREFIGHTERS ARE FIGHTING WILDFIRES WITH FIRE
A mandatory evacuation was issued for areas east of Seth Cole Road north and south of Highway 190W through to Williams/Vigor Myers Road, Maul Road and Willie Hargrove Road. A shelter is available at the First Baptist Church on the east side of DeRidder, according to the sheriff's office.
All previously issued evacuation orders remain in place.
The Vernon Parish Sheriff's Office has been sharing videos showing the extreme conditions fire crews face to contain the Lions Camp Road Fire.
Mandatory evacuations are in place for Lions Camp Road and the surrounding areas, according to Louisiana State Police.
The Louisiana Red Cross said it's seeking volunteers at shelters for evacuees.
There is some good news in the forecast early this week. A cold front brought showers and thunderstorms, across parts of the South and Southeast over the weekend, helping to relieve some of the heat. The front will drop temperatures from the triple-digits for Texas and Louisiana.
A Heat Advisory remains in place on Monday throughout portions of southeast Louisiana and southern Mississippi.
On Monday, a high of 96 degrees is forecast for New Orleans with heat index values between 108 and 112 degrees.
The National Weather Service New Orleans office is forecasting some strong storms across coastal southeast Louisiana early Monday. Another round of rain is possible Monday afternoon into the evening hours.
However, widespread, measurable rain is needed to help with the firefight and drought conditions. Without substantial rain, the firefighting conditions across Louisiana will still be unfavorable.
Janet Shamlian, Analisa Novak
Mon, August 28, 2023
The Tiger Island Fire burning in Beauregard Parish, the largest wildfire in Louisiana's history, doubled in size over the weekend. State fire officials reported on Sunday that the fire expanded to cover a staggering 33,000 acres, up from an estimated 15,000 acres on Friday.
Containment remains at only 50%. At least one person has been killed and at least 20 buildings have been destroyed.
The fire forced the entire town of Merryville, home to 1,200 residents, to evacuate Thursday night.
The Tiger Island Fire was one of four major wildfires burning in Louisiana Monday morning — and one of hundreds that have charred parts of the state this month. Louisiana, which is accustomed to dealing with hurricanes and floods, not fires and drought, has witnessed an unprecedented 441 fires in August.
"While we're pretty good and practiced at emergency response, not so much on the wildfires," said Gov. John Bel Edwards.
The state has faced scorching temperatures this summer. Last week, Edwards declared a state of emergency because of extreme heat and believes that some of the fires could have been prevented if residents had adhered to the statewide burn ban which has been in effect for weeks.
Monica Hickman, a displaced resident who evacuated her home and then her brother's home, said she fears the fire's spread.
"This is so scary to think that we could lose our homes," she said.
Hickman, like countless others, is praying for rain and help to stop the fire's destructive path.
"It's not just for my home. It's not just for my family. It's for my community," she said.
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