Louisiana state officials have ruled the wildfire in the Pelican State that destroyed over 33,000 acres of property, the biggest in its history, as arson.
As reported by the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry (LDAF), Louisiana has experienced a record-breaking number of 441 fires burning from Aug. 1 to 24. "This is unprecedented. We've never had to fight this many fires simultaneously and at this duration. We're fighting between 25 and 30 [wildfires] today. It's burning very intensely. It's moving pretty fast, and you can feel the air picking up. That's from the heat of the fire sucking air into the fire," said LDAF Commissioner Mike Strain during a media conference.
The LDAF's Enforcement Division, as well as the Louisiana State Fire Marshal deputies and the Beauregard Parish Sheriff's Office detectives, have determined that the Tiger Island Fire was caused by arson. (Related: Arson is the likely cause of Quebec wildfires, not carbon emissions.)
In a news release, officials requested the public's assistance in identifying the arson suspect.
"Investigators urge you to call law enforcement if you or anyone you know has any information regarding this fire. To report an arsonist or information regarding this fire, call the LDAF 24-hour hotline at 1-855-452-5323, the Beauregard Parish Sheriff’s Office at 337-462-8918, or the State Fire Marshal Office at 1-844-954-1221," the news release stated.
The Louisiana Forestry Association is providing a cash reward of up to $2,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or group responsible for the wildfire.
The LDAF also reported that a 37-year-old individual, Robin Crawford, was arrested on Aug. 26 after he made threats to kindle a critical fire while the state was under a burn ban. Crawford faces charges connected to his alleged threat to start a large fire within the area of Old Genessee Road, near Louisiana Highway 1065.
State officials have not made any remarks concerning Crawford's possible involvement in the Aug. 22 arson incident.
LDAF officials refused to make public specific details regarding the exact cause of the wildfire because of the ongoing investigation. Nevertheless, ABC News reported that investigators have identified the fire's origin within an isolated area on forested property.
The state has seen an unprecedented fire season this year, driven by severe temperatures and dry conditions. The Tiger Island Fire happened east of Merryville, south of Highway 190, and about five miles east of the Texas state border.
The fire began on Aug. 22 in a wooded pine plantation. Numerous towns in southwestern Louisiana were put under mandatory evacuation orders because of the fire, and state officials have enforced a burn ban to control the situation.
Louisiana governor quick to blame wildfire on climate change
Louisiana's Democratic Governor John Bel Edwards was quick to blame the wildfire on climate change.
"Everyone should take these dangerously high temperatures seriously. The extreme heat has already caused a high number of deaths and sent even more people to the hospital. In addition, our state is experiencing very dry weather, which coupled with the heat has produced a number of wildfires. So far, the fires have destroyed more than 20,000 acres of land and property. That is exactly why the burn ban is in place," Edwards said.
"Our state has never been this hot and dry and we have never had this many fires. We need you and your neighbors to help keep our communities and first responders safe. Adhere to the statewide burn ban. Don’t burn anything."
Early this year, Edwards' Climate Initiatives Task Force unanimously accepted the state's first-ever Climate Action Plan.
Louisiana's Climate Action Plan includes a balanced set of recommendations to limit the severity of climate change while positioning the state to "maintain its economic competitiveness in a low-carbon future."
Edwards has asked members of Congress last July to plan for future impacts of climate change, lead with science, take action now and give extra funding for infrastructure investments.
Follow Climate.news for more news about the wildfires being blamed by politicians and globalists on imaginary "climate change."
Watch the video below to learn more about the Louisiana wildfires.
This video is from the Alex Hammer channel on Brighteon.com.
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