Two separate wildfires have been detected in the Kisatchie Hills Wilderness Area very near the Longleaf Scenic Byway which is located on the Kisatchie Ranger District of the Kisatchie National Forest in Natchitoches Parish. Kisatchie National Forrest posted about the wildfires on its social media account on Aug. 5 at 6:44 p.m.
One wildfire is currently estimated to be about 7 acres and the second is approximately 16 acres. The fires are about a mile apart and are believed to have started due to lightning strikes which occurred the weekend of Aug. 2.
The Kisatchie National Forest plans to suppress the wildfires utilizing strategies to ensure firefighter and public safety. A Type 3 Incident Management Team will be on hand to manage the fires.
The Kisatchie Hills Wilderness Area, trails located within the Wilderness, the Longleaf Vista Recreation Area, and the Caroline Dormon trailhead parking lot will be closed to the public until the area is safe to reopen. Refer to the map below for the designated closure area.
Use caution if traveling the Longleaf Scenic Byway and surrounding roads as fire personnel, heavy equipment, and smoke will be present in the area. For more information, contact the Supervisor’s Office at (318)473-7160.
