Special to the Leesville Leader

Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry fire crews, several local fire departments, and the U.S. Forest Service from Kisatchie worked tirelessly Oct. 18 to extinguish 10 wildfires on La, 10. Before being brought under control, the fires burned close to 15 acres of woodland, damaging timber and threatening several homes.

LDAF investigators say the fires, which started near Marlow Baptist Church and ended near Honor Field at Fort Johnson, were caused by a truck pulling a dual-axle trailer that blew out a tire near the church in Cravens. The vehicle’s operator continued to drive for an estimated nine miles while showering sparks from the trailer’s bare rim. Acting on tips, LDAF forestry investigators and the Vernon Parish Sheriff’s Office located the vehicle and driver, who was issued a summons for careless operation.

“Fire safety is everyone’s responsibility,” said LDAF Commissioner Mike Strain. “As the extremely dry weather continues, we encourage everyone to use care and avoid activities that cause open flames or sparks. Together, we can protect our communities with simple actions like properly discarding cigarettes, avoiding parking on dry grass, and checking trailers for dragging chains.”

LDAF’s Office of Forestry is tasked with responding to wildfires at any hour. In the event of an emergency that requires their assistance, you can call the LDAF 24-Hour Emergency Hotline at 1-855-452-5323 or dial 911.