A burn ban in Washington Parish has been extended, and according to Fire Chief Blake Duncan, out of the Angie district, 36 fires have sparked within 11 days as a result of the dry conditions. Leaders across the parish continue to urge residents to refrain from outdoor burning.
“The lack of rainfall, the low humidity and the wind all created just the perfect conditions for a worst-case scenario,” Parish President Ryan Seal said.
Seal initiated the burn ban Oct. 16, but after speaking with 11 fire chiefs across the parish, he extended the burn ban to keep precautions in place. While there are no injuries reported from any of the latest fires, Deputy Chief Cody Brumfield out of Franklinton said the number of calls they are receiving is weighing on volunteer fire districts that are already stretched thin with personnel. He added that many districts are forced to call for assistance from neighboring departments.
“With the time frame it takes them to get there, it can change the scene of a fire drastically,” Brumfield said. “It can intensify in a matter of minutes.”
According to Brumfield, the fire can get aggressive very quickly. He said wind can change the fire direction and push it toward subdivisions with 20 or 30 homes. Brumfield and parish leaders are even calling for controlled burning to cease.
“It doesn’t take much, especially with leaves,” Brumfield said, “even if you got them in a drum and burning them, as those leaves burn, the embers will fly up and float off. They may float over to the property next door, land in some dry grass and set that, that property on fire over there.”
While Seal acknowledges that the burn ban may be an inconvenience to some, he says it’s the best way to get ahead and prevent fires during these conditions moving forward. The burn ban is expected to remain in effect until weather conditions change.
READ MORE:Dozens of fires spark across Washington Parish during burn ban
