The Vernon Parish Sheriff’s Office has arrested a man from Rosepine for starting a wildfire that engulfed his neighbor’s home. Sheriff Sam Craft says 59-year-old Paul Nash was burning trash piles on his property and that small fire erupted into a wildfire that destroyed two mobile homes and an undetermined amount of timber. There have been reports of individuals claiming they didn’t know the statewide burn ban was in effect. Craft says that’s no excuse.
Cut 8 (08) “…outside.”
And the reason why there’s a burn ban is because half of the state is under extreme and exceptional drought conditions. State Climatologist Barry Keim…
cut 14 (08) “…drought class”
The state’s burn ban also includes any kind of agricultural burn.

The state’s largest wildfire is the Tiger Island Fire in Beauregard Parish and it’s only 50-percent contained. A mandatory evacuation order is in place for the town of Merryville and the Junction communities. The United Way of Southwest Louisiana has launched a fund to help out everyone affected by the fires. CEO Denise Durel on where the money would immediately go.
Cut 12 (08) “…at initially.”
Go to United-Way-S-W-L-A-dot-org.

39-year-old Joey Clement of Thibodaux has been convicted on vehicular and negligent homicide charges for a drunk driving crash that killed three teenage girls in November 2021. Lafourche Parish Assistant District Attorney Shaun George…
cut 4 (12) “…the wheel”
George says Clement was also traveling at 90-miles per hour when struck another vehicle head-on, killing Hali Coss, Michaela Bowling and Lily Dufrene.