By C.C. Richmond
Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries
The summer of 2023 was the hottest, driest summer in memory. Along with the hot dry weather came wildfires. Through the end of October, Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry’s (LDAF) Office of Forestry responded to more than 1,300 wildfires burning almost 58,000 acres statewide.
Forests cover almost 50 percent of Louisiana, with more than one-third being pine dominated. Historically, the piney woods would burn periodically due to the accumulation of highly flammable needles and frequent lightning strikes.