Things have taken a turn for the worse in Beauregard Parish and residents in the town of Merryville are being asked to evacuate immediately as the Tiger Island Fire is within two miles of the town. A storm with 30-mile-per-hour winds only helped the fire spread. Authorities say the fire has grown more intense and is moving quickly.
People who are responsible for starting fires will be held liable according to State Ag and Forestry Commissioner Mike Strain. Teiko Foxx has more.
While firefighters continue to battle wildfires in Beauregard Parish, crews are rushing to the scene of another large blaze in Tangipahoa Parish near the city of Amite. Crews have responded to 357 wildfires this month alone. Governor Edwards is imploring residents to abide by the burn ban and asking citizens to even refrain from cooking outdoors and lighting fire pits at this time because fire crews are stretched thin, and the extreme drought is causing outbreaks to quickly get out of control.
Pearl Harbor Sailor and New Orleans native Clarence Thompson will be buried in Slidell Friday morning, more than 80 years after the December 7th attack on the USS Oklahoma. His cousin Denise Bennett says they are extremely grateful for the lengths the military went to in identifying his remains.
The 11am funeral at Southeast Louisiana Veteran’s Cemetery is open to the public.