Southern state forestry agencies rally to battle Louisiana wildfires

Louisiana –State forestry agencies from across the Southeast have joined together to send wildfire support to the state of Louisiana, which is experiencing increased wildfire occurrence and abnormal fire behavior due to prolonged drought conditions. At the request of the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry, the South Central Forest Fire Protection Compact was activated this week by Al Davis, compact chair and Director of the Texas A&M Forest Service.

“We rely on the strength of longstanding state and federal partnerships to support the protection of life, property and natural resources across the region,” said Jim Prevette, Fire Director for the Southern Group of State Foresters. “With persistent dry conditions and lighting storms forecast over the coming week, positioning these resources in critical areas will be essential for effective wildfire response.”

The South Central Compact enables participating state forestry agencies to send wildland firefighting resources and personnel quickly and efficiently across state lines to suppress wildfires. While State Foresters continue to monitor conditions to ensure their states have adequate staffing and resources to respond to wildfires and emergencies within their home states, the South Central Compact provides a ready system for sharing overhead resources and state-to-state reimbursement for wildfire support.

For more information about wildfires in the South, visit the SGSF Wildland Fire Management webpage or contact your local state forestry agency.

###

The Southern Group of State Foresters (SGSF) is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit corporation representing state forestry agencies within the 13 southeastern United States, and the U.S. territories of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. SGSF members collectively provide leadership, coordination, expertise and resources to sustain the economic, environmental, health and societal benefits of southern forests. This includes the delivery of regional support needed to address existing and emerging issues related to sustainable forest management, forest health, water resources, urban and community forestry, forest product markets, wildfire protection, conservation education and disaster response.