The National Weather Service in Lake Charles says a Fire Weather Watch will be issued for Central and Southwest Louisiana today.
According to a post from the State Fire Marshal, there is the potential for a Red Flag Warning to be issued for these areas over the weekend.
"An exceptional drought continues over most of SE Texas and SW Louisiana. These conditions will contribute to wildland fire danger into early next week," the National Weather Service in Lake Charles stated. "A combination of drought conditions and no area wide significant rainfall has created very dry fuels across the area. Low afternoon relative humidity values between 25 and 40 percent and breezy winds this weekend will increase wildfire concerns."
Also this weekend, the state burn ban that has been in place for weeks has been relaxed. Individual parishes are now authorized to lift the burn ban if they wish, and the ban has been lifted for agricultural burns - except for standing cane. Individual fire departments also can issue permits for controlled bans, if they wish.
We have reached out to Acadiana's parishes to see if any of them plan to lift the ban. As we receive responses, we're updating this story.
Here's what we've found:
ACADIA: Burning restrictions are still in effect across Acadia Parish; to find out the status of your property, call your local fire department. Most fire departments have posted something on their social media. We spoke to officials with the Iota Fire Protection District, and they tell us that as of September 29 of 5 p.m., local fire districts have jurisdiction to allow burning; the Iota department will not authorize any private burning and will treat any fire as an illegal burn.
EVANGELINE: The burn ban will stay in effect for the parish, and all chiefs have agreed they will not approve any open burning in the parish. Officials say it is still very dry and dangerous.
IBERIA: The burn ban is still in effect. No private burning will be allowed.
JEFF DAVIS: Private burning will be allowed with the permission of the local fire department.
LAFAYETTE: Fire Chiefs from Lafayette, Broussard, Carencro, Duson, Milton, Judice, Scott, and Youngsville met this morning to discuss the State Fire Marshal’s modified Statewide Burn Ban. The Statewide Burn Ban was modified to allow local jurisdiction to opt out the active order issued on August 25, 2023 which prohibits all private burning, with no limitations.
ST LANDRY: Parish officials say they've requested to opt out of the burn ban, and are waiting to hear back from the state on that request.
ST. MARTIN: The burn ban will remain in place in St. Martin Parish, officials say.
VERMILION: No private burning will be allowed in Abbeville. In the rest of the parish, agricultural burns are covered under the state exemption, with the exception of standing cane. Anyone else who wants to burn anything on their land must check with their local fire department for permission first, said Doris Langlinais, Fire Coordinator for Vermilion Parish.
You can also check changes to burn bans in individual parishes by accessing a state map of them here: https://louisiana.maps.arcgis.com/home/webmap/viewer.html?layers=363fa05d91ee4d7d903c7167447785a2
As of Friday afternoon, only four parishes in Louisiana had opted out: Caddo, Bossier, Acadia and St. Landry.
The State Fire Marshal also posted some wildfire response guidelines for firefighters, as a reminder:
•Firefighters should not perform any suppression activities in an area where vegetation exists. DO NOT GO INTO THE WOODS TO A FIGHT FIRE.
•The current weather can result in dramatic changes in fire behavior with no warning resulting in you being trapped. THIS INCLUDES PARKED FOR TRAFFIC CONTROL or STAGING, ALWAYS KNOW WHERE THE FIRE IS LOCATED!
•DO NOT GET IN FRONT OF A MOVING FIRE FRONT (HEAD FIRE). You can be overrun within seconds although the fire seems "a good distance away."
•DO NOT WORK ALONE. ALWAYS HAVE A LOOK OUT.
•DO NOT RISK YOUR LIFE TO PROTECT A STRUCTURE.
•When conducting structure protection:
-Direct fire streams on top and the side of the structure.
-Wet the wooded area between the fire and structure
-Park Fire Apparatus facing toward your escape route.
-Keep the windows of the vehicle rolled up to prevent burning embers from entering the cab.
-DO NOT turn the fire apparatus off.
-Have an escape plan
•If you do not know where the fire is or lose communications with command, evacuate immediately to a safe area.
•If you have to evacuate, leave the equipment and go.
•Call for forestry (LDAF) assets immediately upon receipt of a wildfire response.
•If airdrops are occurring STAY IN YOUR VEHICLE during drops.
•Wear PPE. No one should fight a fire without wearing PPE.
•STRICTLY adhere to the following wildfire LCES guidelines:
-Have a LOOKOUT. This person should be watching to ensure the fire does not change without suppression folks' awareness.
-Remain in constant COMMUNICATION with command.
-Have an ESCAPE ROUTE. You cannot outrun a moving wildfire.
-Have a SAFETY ZONE. This can be a burned-out area or other defensible space.
-PLEASE REVIEW with ALL OF YOUR PERSONNEL the 10 wildland firefighting standing orders and 18 watch-out situations prior to any responses: nwcg.gov/committee/6mfs/10-standard-firefighting-orders
