According to KTBS, a Webster Parish man died Monday in an outdoor burning accident on his property.
The death of the 67-year-old Heflin man is the fifth this year attributed to an open burning incident.
“This is an unprecedented statistic for our state and it should be alarming to everyone,” said state Fire Marshal Dan Wallis, “These tragedies are preventable and the prevention effort starts with avoiding open burning altogether when weather conditions like dry grass, dry air and high winds come together like they will this week.”
The man’s body was found on the ground outside of his camper on Highway 792. It was fully engulfed in flames when Bienville Parish Fire District #4 and #5 firefighters arrived shortly after 2:30 p.m. Deputies determined the fire started on the exterior of the camper.
The man was known to conduct open burning on his property around the same time on a daily basis. Evidence at the scene indicated that’s likely what he was doing when the fire was reported, according to the state fire marshal’s office.
Today, Wallis is making a plea to all Louisianans to be aware of the high fire danger conditions across the state this week.
The U.S. National Weather Service Office out of New Orleans has issued a “Red Flag Warning” for southeast Louisiana, indicating dangerous wildfire conditions exist where fire can become uncontrolled quickly.
“This alert is the result of a lack of rain, the drop in humidity that occurred overnight, and the expectation of increased winds due to the presence of Hurricane Ian in the Gulf,” said Wallis, “Even though this warning is for a certain portion of the state, we are asking all residents to please avoid any open burning this week, just as a precaution, for your safety and the safety of those who live around you.”
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