A Rapides Parish woman is convicted in connection with a wildfire west of Glenmora nearly three years ago. Agriculture Commissioner Mike Strain says Carrie Willis was negligent as she was burning household trash on her property.
“There was household debris and trash and limbs. The fire was set, but the lady did not supervise it. It got out of her property and burned 27 acres of Roy O. Morton property, which is a pine plantation,” Strain said.
Strain says the guilty verdict will cost Willis almost $10,000 as part of her sentence.
“The woman was sentenced to two years’ probation, ordered to pay $872 to the local volunteer fire departments, but also approximately $9,000 in restitution to Roy O. Morton, for the damage on those 27 acres,” Strain explained.
Strain says the incident came at a time when wildfires were rampant in Louisiana and neighboring states due to a historic drought.
“Some days we would fight 20-plus wildfires a day or, simultaneously, either from arson or from negligence,” Strain said.