[StBernard] St. Bernard Officials Hot Over Scorched Levee

[Westley Annis]

St. Bernard Officials Hot Over Scorched Levee

POSTED: 7:58 pm CDT September 23, 2007
UPDATED: 8:06 pm CDT September 23, 2007


VIOLET, La. -- Officials in St. Bernard Parish are flaming mad over an
apparent arson fire that burned nearly three miles of grass on both sides of
a important levee -- grass that protected the levee from erosion.

The blaze, which was found early Wednesday morning in eastern St. Bernard
Parish, scorched about three miles of grass on the Mississippi River-Gulf
Outlet levee.

Bob Turner, who manages the Lake Borgne Basin Levee District, said there was
speculation that hunters might have set the fire.

"It took 18 months for the grass to grow'' after Hurricane Katrina, Turner
said. The entire area will have to be re-seeded.

The fire "constitutes a callous disregard for the safety of our community,"
St. Bernard Councilman Mark Madary said.

Whoever set the blaze could face charges of damaging a levee. Anyone with
information on the burn should call the Lake Borgne Levee District at
504-682-5941.