Wildfire danger persists in Sabine Parish

SABINE PARISH, La. (KSLA) — Despite recent rain, the fire danger persists and burn bans remain in place in some parts of the ArkLaTex. In fact, Sunday afternoon found firefighters going up against a woods fire between Hornbeck and Toledo Bend Lake in Sabine Parish. Louisiana Agriculture & Forestry Department (LDAF) bulldozers and plows were among equipment dispatched to the scene off Louisiana Highway 473. There was heavy smoke in the roadway, so authorities were advising motorists to avoid the area or, at the least, slow down. It took firefighters about two hours to contain the blaze, the Sabine Parish Sheriff’s Office reported. South Sabine Fire Department Wards 1 & 2 said to expect the stumps to continue to burn for several days. It’s unclear what impact, if any, that Sunday afternoon’s fire will have on the parish’s burn ban. Early last week, North Sabine Fire District announced that the parish’s three fire chiefs had met and decided to lift the burn ban Monday (Oct. 9) in hopes of getting rain later that week. Despite this, the burn ban is still in effect.