Quick take
- The fire broke out Wednesday, Oct. 28, in the Truxno community near Marion, KNOE reported.
- Union Parish emergency officials told residents near Slade Camp, Ray Alford, George Byrnside and Knight roads to be on high alert and ready to evacuate.
- State forestry crews had it 100% contained by 6:15 p.m. Wednesday, though not out. More than 100 acres burned. No structures were involved and no one was hurt.
- Lincoln Parish Fire District No. 1 answered 20 fires in one recent weekend, most of them woods or grass fires, the Lincoln Parish Journal reported.
- Fire chiefs say a passing shower doesn’t mean the danger is over. Don’t burn, and watch for sparks from mowing, trailers and dragging chains.
A large woods fire burned more than 100 acres in the Truxno community near Marion in Union Parish on Wednesday, Oct. 28, KNOE reported.
The Union Parish Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness told people living near Slade Camp Road, Ray Alford Road, George Byrnside Road and Knight Road to be on high alert and ready to evacuate. The Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry brought in several bulldozers and an aircraft.
Forestry officials said the fire was 100% contained by 6:15 p.m. Wednesday, but not out. North Union Truxno Fire Chief Ben Phelps said no structures were involved and no one was hurt. The cause had not been released. We had not seen a newer update from parish or state officials as of midday Thursday.
Firefighters also said vehicles parked along the roads had blocked some fire trucks, and asked people to stay away and let crews work.
"This fire is a perfect example of why it is so important to refrain from outdoor burning or participating in any activities that could produce sparks and potentially start a fire," Phelps said.
Busy stretch in Lincoln Parish too
Next door, Lincoln Parish Fire District No. 1 answered 20 fires over one recent weekend, and Chief Kevin Reynolds estimated 13 or 14 were woods or other wildland fires, the Lincoln Parish Journal reported. The largest burned a little more than 50 acres near the Louisiana Tech livestock unit on La. Highway 150 west of Grambling. Its cause is unknown.
"It is very dry. I don’t recall it ever being this dry," Reynolds said.
What fire chiefs are asking
- Don’t burn leaves or trash. A shower at your house doesn’t mean a burn ban is over or that the danger has passed.
- Never leave any fire unattended.
- Be careful mowing, bush hogging or baling hay. A blade hitting a rock can throw a spark.
- Check trailers for dragging chains, and watch for hot bearings or blown tires on the highway.