Single Publication

Tiger Island, Hwy 113, Lions Camp Road and Elizabeth Fires

Daily Update – Saturday September 23, 2023 

Southern Area Complex Incident Management Gold Team

Louisiana Statewide Burn Ban

The Louisiana Office of the State Fire Marshal’s order prohibiting all private burning and the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry ban on all agricultural burning remain in effect. They are reevaluated weekly. Open burning with exposed flames and prescribed fires are prohibited. Visit https://sfm.dps.louisiana.gov/doc/press/pr_2023-36.pdf.

Fire Highlights

The Southern Area Gold Complex Incident Management Team assumed command of the fires today at 7 a.m. under the leadership of Incident Commander Patrick Pearson. The Gold Team would like to thank the Southern Area Blue Team for their leadership and work on the fires.

Needle cast continues to be a concern for firefighters on all four fires today, especially in the fires’ interior where hot spots remain due to heavier fuels. Crews will continue to mop up, patrol and hold containment lines, as well as blow needle cast from the fires’ perimeters. Firefighters will work further into containment lines to suppress hot spots and reburn, working toward a goal of a continual 200-inch mop-up standard. Air resources will drop water to cool reburn areas to help firefighters on the ground. Snag trees with weakened root systems remain a major safety concern. 

Tiger Island Fire: 31,290 acres, no change | 84% containment| 121 personnel assigned 

• InciWeb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident-information/lalas-tiger-island-fire 

Hwy. 113 Fire: 7,124 acres, no change | 95% containment | 44 personnel assigned 

• InciWeb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident-information/lalas-hwy-113-fire 

Lions Camp Road Fire: 785 acres, no change | 100% containment | 7 personnel assigned 

• InciWeb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident-information/lalas-lions-camp-road-fire 

Elizabeth Fire: 940 acres, no change | 100% containment | 7 personnel assigned 

• InciWeb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident-information/lalas-elizabeth-fire 

Equipment 

Type 6 engines, dozers, tractor plow units, water tenders are assigned to the fires. Available aerial resources include helicopters and fixed wing aircraft. Parish authorities and departments, sheriff’s offices, and the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness are providing additional support.

Weather and Fire Behavior

Patchy fog from yesterday’s showers will breakup by mid-morning. Today will be another hot and humid day as southerly winds continue to draw moisture from the Gulf of Mexico. This afternoon, some afternoon or evening showers and thunderstorms are possible. Southerly winds will increase on Sunday ahead of a cold front approaching from the northwest with lingering heat and humidity. Showers and thunderstorms are possible again Sunday night as the front approaches Louisiana.

Fire danger remains extremely high, especially for new starts. All indices that predict or measure fire conditions are at or near record levels. A new fire could ignite easily, organize rapidly and spread with high intensity. Weather combined with low fuel moisture continues to support the potential for moderate to high fire behavior.

Air Quality

Smoke may occur in reburn areas. Air quality information is available at https://fire.airnow.gov.

Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFRs)

TFRs are in place over the Tiger Island Fire (https://tfr.faa.gov/save_pages/detail_3_3287.html) and the Hwy. 113 and Elizabeth Fires (https://tfr.faa.gov/save_pages/detail_3_4500.html). If you fly, we can’t. Aircraft or drone intrusions endanger aircrews. Aircraft may be grounded for safety which puts ground crews at risk for increased fire activity.