A large wildfire in Beauregard Parish in southwest Louisiana has led to evacuations. The Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness spokesperson Mike Steele says the town of Merryville is under a voluntary evacuation and residents on Neale Oil Field Road have been told they must leave as this wildfire has impacted hundreds of acres.
“Some of the firefighters that are working that fire say it’s the worst wildfire they’ve seen,” said Steele.
Authorities have closed Highway 110 in the Merryville area. Authorities have closed Highway 110 in the Merryville area. Steele says firefighters are having a hard time controlling this blaze.
“There’s a fire break that was created by some of the crews that was seven bulldozers wide and the fire still managed to jump that break and that is why some of these evacuation orders are so important,” said Steele.
Several rural areas have been impacted by wildfires this month and Steele says the fear is that it will only get worse as the hot and dry weather is showing no signs of relenting.
“And so we are really trying to urge the public to heed to the burn ban that’s in effect, anything from cigarette butts along the highway, a number of things can cause a problem,” said Steele.
Steele says there have been 357 wildfires reported this month, in June only 65 fires.
GOHSEP has activated its State Emergency Operations Center to help coordinate response to hundreds of fires.
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