Investigators with the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry Enforcement Division have arrested 30-year-old Zachary Faulk of Merryville, in connection with a wildfire that burned hundreds of acres in Beauregard Parish.
Commissioner Mike Strain said Faulk faces one count of negligent burning and one count of violating the state burn ban after he allegedly started a fire on his property on August 17.
“Now the fire did burn out of control onto some adjacent land causing damage. The fire known as the Bancroft Wildfire, this one did burn 600 acres south of Merryville, for several days,” said Strain.
Strain said the blaze that Faulk was arrested in connection to was adjacent to and part of the Tiger Island Fire, but the big battle was to save the town of Merryville.
“He did surrender himself to Beauregard Parish on charges and the bond was set at $50,000. All persons accused of crimes are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law,” said Strain.
Faulk surrendered himself on September 25 to the Beauregard Parish Jail.
