BAMA-Beauregard Area Ministerial Alliance

02/25/2024

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11/14/2023

09/02/2023

Smoke Report for the Tiger Island Fire, September 2nd, 2023

https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident-publication/lalas-tiger-island-fire/tiger-island-fire-smoke-report-9223

Special Statement: Visibility can be reduced in areas with both smoke and fog. Exercise caution if driving in these conditions.
Fire
The four fires in the area are Tiger Island (31,342 ac); Elizabeth (970 ac); Hwy. 113 (9000 ac) and Lions Camp Rd. (579 ac). The potential for increased fire activity is lower today. Tiger Island: (visit Inciweb Tiger Island Fire for more details) Elizabeth: (visit Inciweb Elizabeth Fire for more details) Hwy. 113:(visit Inciweb Hwy 113 Fire for more details) Lions Camp Rd: (visit Inciweb Lions Camp Road Fire).
Smoke
Smoke in localized areas near the fires and on roads adjacent to them. If there is active fire behavior with fire progression, or new starts, there could be high levels of smoke for short durations in the vicinity of the fire. There is a chance for thunderstorms with gusty and erratic winds that could move smoke in any direction and disperse it. Smoke from the Tiger Island Fire will be most apparent in the Merryville area. Smoke from Elizabeth and Hwy. 113 fires will be heaviest in the Pitkin area. Smoke from the Lions Camp Rd Fire may move across Vernon Lake and toward the Sabine River. All four fires are projected to produce low levels of smoke. Expect increased smoke at Lake Charles with E winds due to a new start ESE of town. Smoke should decrease after sea breezes start. Lafayette and Leesville should have less smoke with the ENE winds. The ENE winds will transport smoke from the Hwy. 113 and Elizabeth fires to DeRidder but have minimal impact.

08/31/2023

GET OUT NOW!!!!!

08/28/2023

***UPDATE***

As of this morning we still have 2 mandatory evacuation orders in place from Junction along 190 to east of the covered arena extending to the north and south sides of Highway 190. We will be reviewing these orders and the situation of the fires to determine if they will remain mandatory. The voluntary evacuation order for the Hauser Rd/Ragle area north of Longville remains in place as of this morning as well. Overnight was reported as one of the more quiet nights dealing with fire because of the rain and reported no jumps or flare ups. They reported that we will have air assets back starting this morning, 4 helicopters, 2 fix winged, making drops as needed. Their focus has turned to fires inside the parish but outside of the Tiger Island portion due to the new federal strike team now assigned to the Tiger Island mission. They have there assets located around the parish prepared to combat existing fires along with anything that may pop up. They are reporting that the fires near Bancroft and north of Longville are contained at this time and will continue monitoring. They have estimated that the Longvile area fire has consumed approximately 19,200 acres so far bringing the total in Beauregard Parish including the Tiger Island fire to over 50,000 acres burned.

They have confirmed 6 identified homes that have been destroyed by fire with approximately 22 other structures left to confirm whether they are homes or not and have began that process this morning. Centerpoint Entergy have begun there process of going house to house this morning in Merryville inspecting so gas can be turned back on inside the town. We have received 25 extra LEO’s from the LSA to help assist in law enforcement and security duties as our deputies at BPSO have been tasked out to help in the effort of the mission of containing the fires.

Roadways remain open as of this morning. Highways 27, 190, 389, and 110 are open for travel. We remind you again that the BURN BAN is still in effect and even after the rain we got over night there still is a ZERO tolerance with violations of this order. Red Incident Command Team still has assessed the drought levels as high with the ground dryness as very high. Please stay safe and please obey the burn ban.

08/27/2023

Going forward Catholic Charities will be handling private donations monetary and food along with distribution of food. They can be contacted at (337)439-7436.

08/27/2023

*** UPDATE***

As of this update all every evacuation order, voluntary and mandatory, remain in place with an extra emphasis on the areas along Seth Cole Rd down to Graybow. We’ve had LEO’s in the area this afternoon going door to door to remind and warn residents throughout this area. Forestry reported that they stayed focused on the area north and northeast of Merryville towards Junction and east covering the Nichols Sibley Rd area with all the connecting roads throughout all the way to Seth Cole. We can not emphasize enough of how the wind and dry vegetation is energizing this section of the fire pushing it east. Please heed the mandatory evacuation. Forestry reported that besides the Tiger Island portion of this fire event seven other fires popped up in the parish with indecent fire fighting assets addressed and either extinguished or contained for now.

Since this morning’s update they can not give a definitive number on the percentage of containment but do not feel like its lower than the estimate from this morning. It is estimated that there are 18-22 structures lost at this time with no injuries or human loss. We are expecting extra strike teams from Tennessee and Oklahoma that should be boots on the ground tomorrow. Forestry and National Guard bulldozer assets plan on working throughout tonight cutting lanes to assist containment. This fire is very large and growing and has burned approximately 50,000-60,000 acres so far and moving. We can not express this enough PLEASE TAKE THE EVACUTION ORDERS SERIOUSLY. We do this for your best interest and utmost safety. We still have two shelters available at the First Methodist Church and First Baptist Church in DeRidder.

08/26/2023