Wildfire Incident Information
Terrain
Satellite
OSM
This fire is no longer active
73% contained
Fire Status
OUT
Last Updated
1 year ago
Fire Start
Thursday, August 31, 2023 5:50 AM CDT
Incident #
2023-LALAS-000296
Fuels
timber southern roug

Current Weather

Fire Growth Potential

Fire Weather Forecast

Incident Overview

Inciweb information was updated: 1 year, 1 month ago

The Southern Area Red Incident Management Team assumed command of the Elizabeth Fire on Saturday September 2, 2023. The Southern Area Blue Team assumed command from the Red team on September 10th. The Elizabeth Fire is under the jurisdiction of the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry.   

Basic Incident Details

Last Updated
Wed, Sep 13, 2023 11:50 AM UTC
Incident Type
Wildfire
Cause
Undetermined
Fire Discovered
Thu, Aug 31, 2023 10:50 AM UTC
Location
NW of Elizabeth LA
Incident Commander
Charlie Patterson, ICCI, Southern Area Blue Team
Jon Wallace, ICCI (trainee)
Andy Baker, Deputy ICCI
Coordinates
30.920833333333, -92.808611111111

Current Situation

Total Personnel
37
Size
940 Acres
Containment
73%
Estimated Containment
Sunday, October 1, 2023 1:00 AM CDT
Fuels Involved

Primary Fuel Types:
Southern Rough
Timber (Litter and Understory)
Medium Logging Slash

Narrative:
Pine plantations of multiple ages. Fuel loads in these pine plantations can be very high. The fire area is intermixed with creeks and swamp areas. This mixture of fuel and terrain types makes access difficult. Oil and gas infrastructure and private residences are scattered throughout the fire area.  

Live fuel moisture samples taken on site are at critical levels and can be treated as dead vegetation.   

Heavy residual fuels as a result of Hurricane Laura in 2020 exist and contribute to extreme fire behavior and resistance to control. 

Significant Events

Observed Fire Behavior:
Moderate
Backing
Creeping
Smoldering


Narrative:
Fire behavior is expected to be minimal today and the weather outlook will support increasing rain chances and higher Rh values the remainder of the week. Dry air returning for the weekend. Heavy fuel (vegetation) loads, needle cast, and burned large trees holding heat exacerbate control of the fire and are causing reburn within the control lines. Fuel loads in pine plantations are very high. The fire area is intermixed with drought-impacted creeks and swamp areas.

This mixture of vegetation and terrain types makes access difficult. Private residences are scattered around the fire area.

Planned Outlook

Planned Actions
Ground crews will be working closely with air attack and using IR mapping to increase containment and identify hot spots. Existing lines will be monitored by additional ground personnel, to scout for spot fires, needle cast and reburn, and problem areas.
Projected Incident Activity
12 hours:  A full (90%) humidity recovery expected tonight. Active fire behavior is very unlikely overnight.
24 hours: Fire behavior is expected to be minimal in the morning hours due to high overnight relative humidity recovery. Fire behavior and growth potential will return to moderate in the afternoon with the return of hot temperatures and low Rh values. Heavy loads of needle cast combined with low afternoon relative humidity will support reburn across most of the fire. Chance of precipitation is near 15%. There is an isolated chance of lightning from scattered storms.
48 hours: Fire behavior is expected to be minimal in the morning hours even with lower overnight relative humidity recovery. Fire behavior and growth potential will return to moderate in the afternoon, with afternoon Rh values in the lower 40's. Heavy loads of needle cast combined with low afternoon relative humidity will support reburn across most of the fire. Chance of precipitation is about 35%. A chance that lightning from scattered storms could occur in the area.
72 hours: Fire behavior is expected to be minimal in the morning hours even with lower overnight relative humidity recovery. Fire behavior and growth potential will return to moderate in the afternoon, with afternoon Rh values near 50%. Heavy loads of needle cast will continue to support reburn across most of the fire. Chance of precipitation is about 40%. A chance that
lightning from scattered storms could occur in the area.
Anticipated after 72 hours: Hot and dry conditions bring the possibility of continued active fire behavior and potential for reburn. Rain chances drop to 20% on September 16th.Minimum relative humidity is expected to drop in the 30's and 40's as a drying trend begins.
Remarks
Additional overhead are included on the Tiger Island 209.
SA Blue Team assumed command on 9/10 at 0700. 

Dispatch Center Contact

Louisiana Interagency Coordination Center (LALIC)

Pineville, LA

318-473-7152