Disclaimer: All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
WASHINGTON PARISH, La. (WGNO) — Officials with the St. Tammany Parish Fire District 13 responded to a large woods fire in Washington Parish on Friday, Aug. 11.
St. Tammany Parish Fire officials said the woods fire happened Friday afternoon on Highway 1056 and Fire Tower Road.
They said crews with the St. Tammany Parish Fire Districts 5 and 6 helped to contain the fire.
They also said St. Tammany Parish District 4 provided drone assistance to help the Washington Parish Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness and the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry obtain an overview of the fire.
Through an investigation, officials with the LDAF found that the fire started near a campsite off Fire Tower Road.
They said the fire spread from the campsite into a wooded area and damaged nearby property and structures.
On Saturday, Aug. 12, officials with the Washington Parish Sheriff’s Office and the LDAF arrested a man in connection with the fire.
WPSO officials said they arrested 34-year-old Kenneth Beaubouef around 1:27 a.m. for his alleged involvement with the fire.
LDAF agents said they executed a search warrant at the campsite near Fire Tower Road.
At the campsite, LDAF agents said they found Beaubouf, who allegedly told them he started a fire on Aug. 10 and left it unattended on Aug. 11.
Beaubouef faces charges of fire-raising on lands of another by criminal negligence and burn ban violation.
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