Louisiana officials ask people to stop battling massive wildfire with personal hoses

Louisiana officials ask people to stop fighting massive wildfire with personal hoses

The Beauregard Parish Sheriff’s Office in western Louisiana asked civilians to stop using "personal water hoses" to combat a 12,000-acre wildfire. (Credit: Louisiana Office of State Fire Marshal via Storyful)

A widespread fire burning in western Louisiana prompted a warning from officials to residents.

The Beauregard Parish Sheriff’s Office requested that people avoid trying to extinguish the 12,000-acre fire with their personal hoses.

Authorities issued mandatory evaluations as the wildfire reportedly grew roughly 19 miles Wednesday and was burning near the western towns of Singer and Merryville.

Sheriff’s officials said 85 percent of the fire was under control Thursday, but evacuation orders were still in place.

Video of the fire provided by the Louisiana Office of the State Fire Marshal to the social news platform Storyful shows flames rising from a wooded area in Beauregard Parish.

The National Weather Service noted that several Louisiana parishes were under a red flag warning on Thursday, and high temperatures, low humidity, and strong winds contributed to worse fire conditions. According to the agency, the unfavorable weather conditions are expected to last through the week.

This story was reported from Washington, D.C.