ST. LANDRY PARISH, La. (KLFY)– Firefighters, local authorities and emergency personnel were called Wednesday to a fire that erupted in the vicinity of Jim Camp Road in the Big Cane area, located in the northeastern part of St. Landry Parish.
Fire officials from several agencies and multiple parishes worked to tame the fire, which was reported around 3 p.m. Wednesday. Officials said firefighters stood down at about 10:30 p.m. Wednesday.
“It sounded like someone was burning some trees in their backyard, and it got out of hand,” St. Landry Parish President Jessie Bellard said. “With the wind picking up like it did, it moved that fire in different directions. At one time we had three separate fires burning in the fields.”
The flames were deep in the campgrounds, only accessible through small roads, and they reached over 100 acres. It took as many as 60 firefighters from different departments over 8 hours to contain it.
“We had to contact the department of AG and Forestry for their forestry team to come help,” Bellard said. “They brought in 4 dozers and man power and were able to get into areas we couldn’t get into. We had 4 dozers out there that were just making fire breaks.”
The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
