UPDATE: Tiger Island Fire 65 percent contained
Published 12:30 pm Wednesday, September 6, 2023
- Soldiers from the Louisiana Army National Guard’s 528th Engineer Battalion use bulldozers to move burnt forestry and clear a firebreak near Pirates Cove in Florien, on Tuesday. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Noshoba Davis)
By Emily Burleigh
Firefighters with the Southern Area Red incident Management team are still working to extinguish four wildfires in Louisiana: The Tiger Island Fire, La. 113 Fire, Lions Camp Road Fire and Elizabeth Fire.
The Tiger Island Fire, which has been burning for over two weeks in west Beauregard Parish, is now 65 percent contained. Operations Chief Peter Myers said that rain across the western part of the fire helped subdue portions of the fire.
“It wasn’t a lot, but every little bit counts to help us.”
Three hundred and fifty personnel are working to shrink the fire that is 31,082 acres large. On Tuesday night, crews patrolled the dozer lines to knock down berms potentially holding heat. Fire lines with accumulated needle casts were also cleared.
On Wednesday, crews continued to mop up and find hot spots along fire lines, knock down debris berms and motor for needle cast.
The fire is split into five divisions. In Division Juliette, crews are keeping an eye on the creek bottom.
Division Foxtrot has isolated heat spots on the north end.
On the west side of Division Foxtrot, near Merryville, Myers said things are “looking good.”
He said a new small fire started in the area after a tree fell across the line and started a half-acre sized fire on Tuesday. They were able to put a line around it that day. On Wednesday, crews went back to the area and went back to complete going back today to finish extinguishing and removing burning material.
Division Alpha received rain on Tuesday. There is still heat in Hoosier Creek and isolated heat south of I-10 and La. 27.
Divisions Oscar and Whiskey are still being patrolled and mopped up.
“Overall, the Tiger Island Fire is looking a lot better.”
The La. 113 fire is 14 miles northwest of Oakdale, and is burning in southern rough, timber and brush, according to the Red Crew’s daily fire update. This fire is 63 percent contained and 7,709 acres.
The Lions Camp Road fire, located five miles northwest of Leesville, is 81 percent contained and 785 acres.
The Elizabeth fire is 940 acres and is in southwest Rapides Parish, south of Ten Mile Road and northeast of state La. 462.
