La. Guard continues mounting response to ongoing wildfires
Published 10:59 am Friday, August 25, 2023
Louisiana National Guard aviators conduct water dropping missions to aid the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry, Louisiana State Fire Marshal office and local officials in combating the wildfires in Beauregard Parish near Deridder, Louisiana, August 23, 2023. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. 1st Class Scott D. Longstreet)
Louisiana National Guard aviators conduct water dropping missions to aid the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry, Louisiana State Fire Marshal office and local officials in combating the wildfires in Beauregard Parish near Deridder, Louisiana, August 23, 2023. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. 1st Class Scott D. Longstreet)
Engineers with the Louisiana Army National Guard’s 225th Engineer Brigade prepare dozers and additional engineering assets for movement from the Combined Maintenance Facility at Esler Field in in Pineville, Louisiana to Beauregard Parish to help prevent the spread of wildfires in the area, August 24, 2023. (U.S. Army National Guard Photo by Staff Sgt. Noshoba Davis)
By Louisiana National Guard Public Affairs Office
At the direction of the governor, the Louisiana National Guard activated 97 soldiers to provide support to operations in relation to the ongoing wildfires in Beauregard Parish.
LANG helicopter crews began water-drop missions on Wednesday to assist the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry and the Louisiana State Fire Marshal office in fighting the wildfires in Beauregard Parish.
To date, LANG aviation assets have supported firefighting efforts with 5 Black Hawk helicopters dropping 348 loads (160,776 gallons) of water during 55.9 flight hours to the affected region.
Additional aviation assets, including as one CH 47 Chinook helicopter from Oklahoma, have been coordinated through the nation’s Emergency Management Assistance Compact to support relief efforts.
As of Friday, the LANG has deployed one engineer assessment team and 16 dozers with crew members from the 225th Engineer Brigade to Singer to aid the Louisiana Forestry Department in clearing and widening current fire lanes to help prevent the spread of wildfires in the area.
So far, the engineering crews have completed 2,520 meters of linear firebreaks.
As a partner in the response effort, with a strong unity of effort in coordination with local, state and federal agencies, the LANG has established liaison officers within Beauregard Parish to facilitate timely coordination for support as the situation develops.
