EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH - Wildfires have been spreading and re-igniting in Beauregard Parish for a full week now. Three fire departments from East Baton Rouge Parish are assisting to help contain the blazes, including the so-called "Tiger Island Fire."

Sunday marks day seven since these wildfires have been spreading throughout the parish, burning thousands of acres. The Beauregard Parish Sheriff's Office said 20 structures have already been lost.

"I don't want to say all of them are residences, some could be barns but the most significant numbers are residences."

Dozens of agencies and local fire departments from across the area left late last week to help contain the blaze. Crews from Baton Rouge, St. George and Zachary fire departments are assisting.

"Brush trucks, bulldozers, air support, a lot of things that they need and it just depends on the fire and the situation that you're in and what things we use," Curt Monte with the Baton Rouge Fire Department said.

The extremely dry conditions and the wind are playing factors, making these wildfires harder to contain.

"It's a different type of firefighting. You don't go attack that blaze. You have to pretty much outsmart it, see where its going to go and have that line cut it off," Monte said. "It's a lot of a waiting game. That's the way to do it. Not only to get it under control but also for the safety of those firefighters because those winds can change in an instant."

The Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry says the potential for thunderstorms could bring in gusty winds, which would increase fires in the area.

The sheriff's office is issuing both mandatory and voluntary evacuations and opening two shelters in DeRidder.

Baton Rouge fire has a 15 member team helping with the Tiger Island Fire. They plan to rotate team members throughout the week.