ZACHARY - As firefighters from across the country are heading to Beauregard Parish in shifts, one crew from the Zachary Fire Department just made it home from the massive Tiger Island fire.

A crew of nine spent a week fighting back the flames in conjunction with multiple other agencies and the National Guard. 

"That incident was nothing that any of us standing here has ever seen whether you've been here for 20 something years or five years. This is something brand new," said Captain Chase Lord. 

At times, the team feared for their safety as walls of fire up to 40 feet tall blew towards them. Yet, they persisted day in and day out. 

"You know, you fight a grass fire here and there but, there is no comparison," Lord said. 

According to the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry, the Tiger Island fire has burned more than 31,000 acres of land and is only 55% contained. It's a grave reminder of why the community should adhere to all aspects of the statewide burn ban until conditions improve. 

"It's super important to follow all the Governor and State Fire Marshall's burn bans to prevent something like this from happening right here," said Gordon Lipscomb, Training Officer at ZFD.