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NEWS
Two separate wildfires burn more than 2,500 acres of timberland
March 10, 2009
Agriculture and Forestry Commissioner Mike Strain, D.V.M., said more than 2,500 acres of valuable timberland was consumed by wildfires in St. Tammany Parish over the weekend.
State forestry officials estimated that the wildfires caused more than $3.5 million worth of damage.
A fire near the Slidell Airport burned 1,922 acres and a second wildfire in the Mandeville area destroyed 742 acres. To date, no structures have been lost.
“Fire crews worked around the clock to get wildfires in the Slidell and Mandeville areas under control,” Strain said. “At this time, both fires are contained. These fires are still under investigation.”
The LDAF will continue to monitor the area by land and air.
Louisiana’s fire season is typically October through May but the beginning of fire season depends on the amount of rainfall the state has received.
Strain said most of the state is extremely dry and conditions are ripe for wildfires because there has been little rainfall this year. Currently, the fire danger rating is high to very high in most of the state. The probability of a fire to start, the rate of spread and intensity of its burn determine the fire danger rating.
“I commend our firefighters for performing so well while forced to operate with fewer human resources due to budgetary restrictions,” Strain said.
Strain advised Louisiana residents to be aware of the fire threat and monitor the fire danger rating for their area at the LDAF Web site, www.ldaf.la.gov.
To report a wildfire, call the LDAF district office in your area. For more information about wildfires and safe burning, visit the LDAF Web site at www.ldaf.la.gov.
District 1 – Hammond
Telephone: 985-543-4057
District 2 – Oberlin
Telephone: 337-639-4978
District 3 – Jena
Telephone: 318-992-1400
District 4 – Haughton
Telephone: 318-949-3225
District 5 – Monroe
Telephone: 318-345-7595
District 6 – Natchitoches
Telephone: 318-357-3126
District 7 – DeRidder
Telephone: 337-463-7801
District 10 – Clinton
Telephone: 225-683-5862
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