Local firefighters, Department of Agriculture team members and Louisiana National Guard soldiers are working to the “point of exhaustion” trying to deal with the “largest wildfire that has ever been recorded in the state of Louisiana,” Beauregard Parish Sheriff Mark Herford said during a Facebook live news conference Sunday morning.

Herford said though officials are daily battling wildfires and making progress, shifts in wind speed and direction is what is complicating matters.

“They can fight these fires all day and if the wind shifts, everything they’ve done was for nothing and they have to start all over again,” Herford said.

Herford said 20 structures have been lost to fire, some are barns but most are homes.

La. 110 has been opened to traffic. The sheriff said there are still “some smoldering along some parts” so motorists are advised to drive with caution because “smoky situations” are present.

Herford said what team members need right now is prayer — prayer for their safety, prayer for the community and prayers for rain.

“We really need rain,” he said. “This ground is so dry and the trees are so dry and that’s what is really preventing us right now from containing this blaze.”

Herford said overnight the wind shifted causing fires to reach the tree tops along Set Cole, Pujo, Graybow and the covered arena.

Animals that had been sheltered sheltered at the Beauregard Parish Fairgrounds are now being moved to Burton Coliseum in Lake Charles for shelter.

He said the Ragle Road fire flared up some Saturday, but ground units were deployed and as of this morning are maintaining and containing the blaze.

The Tiger Island Fire — which has consumed more than 60,000 acres of land — is 65 percent contained, Herford said.