by Wesley Harris
Months of dry weather have left Lincoln Parish firefighters battling a wave of outdoor fires, from escaped debris burns to blazes sparked along Interstate 20.
Chief Kevin Reynolds of Lincoln Parish Fire District No. 1 said the prolonged drought has dried grass, leaves, and woods to the point where a small spark can quickly become a much larger problem, especially when the wind picks up.
“It is very dry. I don’t recall it ever being this dry,” Reynolds said.
During one recent weekend, from Friday morning through Sunday evening, the district responded to 20 fires. Reynolds estimated 13 or 14 were woods or other wildland fires.
Some had grown to a couple of acres before firefighters arrived. In rural parts of the parish, fires can burn unnoticed because homes are far apart and large stretches of property cannot be seen from the road.
The largest fire Reynolds recalled during the dry spell burned slightly more than 50 acres near the Louisiana Tech livestock unit on La. Highway 150 west of Grambling, in the area of the former Camp Ruston prisoner-of-war camp. Its cause is unknown.
Four state forestry bulldozers assisted with the fire. Reynolds said bulldozers become necessary when flames reach areas firefighters cannot easily access or a fire grows beyond what the district can contain with its own equipment.
Despite the burn ban in effect at the time of the interview, some residents continued burning leaves or other debris. Reynolds said the length of the ban had led some people to become less careful about following it. Others assumed a shower at their home meant burning was safe.
“Just because we’ve been under a burn ban so long, people have gotten lax and they think, well, we’re not under a burn ban anymore,” Reynolds said.
Chief Meteorologist Jarod Floyd of the Digital Weather Desk said, “Fire risk remains exceedingly high across the ArkLaMiss, especially given the lower humidity values. Burn bans are in place for a reason. If you’re not under a ban, please avoid any outdoor burning until further notice.”
Reynolds cautioned that a brief shower does not mean the danger has passed or a burn ban has been lifted. Rain in one part of the parish does not necessarily improve conditions elsewhere, and the area had not received significant, widespread rainfall.
Some fires begin when residents burn leaves and walk away, allowing the flames to escape. Others start in less obvious ways.
A vehicle with a failed bearing, a hot tire after a blowout, or a chain dragging along the highway can produce enough heat or sparks to ignite dry vegetation. Machinery can also start fires.
Reynolds advised caution with activities such as mowing, bush-hogging, and baling hay when conditions are especially dry. A mower blade striking a rock can create a spark.
Wind can turn a manageable fire into a fast-moving one. A red flag warning was in effect during the particularly busy weekend Reynolds described, with high winds adding to the danger.
Some fires along Interstate 20 have presented an additional challenge where vegetation has grown over deep layers of mulch left by clearing work. Reynolds said fire can move into the mulch, making it harder for crews to extinguish completely.
Until sufficient rainfall eases the danger, residents should comply with burn restrictions and avoid activities capable of producing a flame or spark.
