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Ouachita Parish adopts temporary open‑air burn ban amid dry conditions
Summary
The Ouachita Parish Police Jury adopted Ordinance No. 9502 on Oct. 21 imposing a temporary ban on open‑air burning in unincorporated areas until terminated; the ban carries fines up to $500 or 30 days in jail and exempts burns authorized by state permits.
The Ouachita Parish Police Jury on Oct. 21 adopted Ordinance No. 9502, a temporary prohibition on open‑air burning in unincorporated areas of the parish aimed at reducing the risk of grass and woods fires during current dry weather conditions.
The ordinance, adopted unanimously, makes it unlawful for any person in unincorporated Ouachita Parish to conduct open‑air burning of trash, garbage, leaves, limbs, branches or debris of any kind while it remains in effect. It exempts burns conducted under a license or permit issued by the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry or the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality. Violations carry a penalty of up to $500 or up to 30 days imprisonment; the ordinance also allows administrative adjudication by the Parish Administrative Hearing Officer as an enforcement alternative.
The Chief of Ouachita Parish Fire Protection District No. 1 recommended the ban to prevent proliferation of grass and woods fires. The ordinance gives the Police Jury president authority to terminate the burn ban by written proclamation after receiving that chief’s written recommendation; any termination will be posted at the courthouse, published in the official journal and distributed to local media and law enforcement.
The Jury approved the ordinance on a roll call vote with six yeas and no nays. Parish officials said the ban takes effect immediately and will remain in force until the president issues a termination proclamation.
