Statewide burn ban lifted, parish drought in severe stage

After stretching nearly a month longer than anticipated, State Fire Marshall Butch Browning and Agriculture and Forestry Commissioner Mike Strain have lifted the statewide burn ban.

Butch Browning

The ban went into effect on June 1 and it was hoped that it could have been lifted by the end of the month if the rains came. They didn’t, though, and the ban remained until enough rain fell statewide for the lifting.

Local burn bans remain in Bossier and Caddo parishes in extreme northwest Louisiana.

Strain said despite the lifting of the burn ban, the state remains in a drought state, ranging from severe to extreme. Washington, St. Tammany and Tangipahoa parishes are in a severe drought state.

Despite heavy rains over Washington Parish during the latter half of the month, neither Bogalusa Fire Chief Richard Moody or Washington Parish Homeland Security Director Tommy Thiebaud were willing to lift the ban in advance of the state.

“It is my understanding we have the authority to do that, based on local conditions,” Moody told wpnewsblog earlier in the month, “but despite the rain it is still really dry and I’m simply not comfortable lifting it.”

Thiebaud said every shower and rain helps, but that until the state fire marshal lifted the ban, it would remain in effect in the parish.

“We can get to calls pretty quick,” Moody said, “but the firefighters in the parish sometimes have to drive a pretty good distance to get to the fire … so just because it seems safe in one place doesn’t mean it is in another.”

There have been nine days with measurable precipitation in Northeast Bogalusa and three days when a trace was recorded. The monthly total in Northeast Bogalusa through noon today (July 28) is 7.05 inches.

A chance of precipitation is forecast through mid-week next week, but the best chance for rain is later today when it is 80 percent.

Dexter Attendance Center fire ruled accidental

DEXTER, Miss. — The Mississippi State Fire Marshal has ruled the fire that destroyed the main building at Dexter Attendance Center was accidental, although a specific cause of the fire was not cited.

The 80-year-old building, where a number of Washington Parish residents were educated, went up in flames late on the afternoon of Friday, June 3.

Walthall County Fire Investigator Bobby McGinnis told the Tylertown Times that fire marshals sifted through debris and rubble for several weeks as they sought to determine the cause.

He said a specific source of the fire may never be known, but that he was amazed the school records survived the blaze.

“Most of the soft metals melted … copper, aluminum, coins they had in the office. And there were cabinets that were twisted and warped and open as a result of the fire.

“I’m impressed by the fireproof record cabinets. It’s hard to believe they survived. They were sitting on the ground … the wooden floor burned and when it collapsed, that’s where they landed.”

While the records survived, all of the trophies and photos of graduating classes were destroyed.

The major problem facing school officials now is the cleanup. Because the old building contained asbestos, it is all mixed in the rubble and will require special handling and disposal during the cleanup.

Despite recent rains, city still enforcing burn ban

Despite consistent rainfall through the last few days of June and up to 1 inch over the first five days of July, Bogalusa Fire Chief Richard Moody said Tuesday night that a burn ban remains in effect.

A firefighter knocks down a fire during a
drill. (Photo BFD web page)

"It is a statewide ban and it is my understanding I have the authority to lift it," Moody explained to the Bogalusa City Council as part of his monthly department head report, "but I choose not to do that. I know we've had some rain, but I 'm waiting for a good, general soaking. It's still very dry."

Slightly more than one-half inch was recorded Saturday on Military Road and again Tuesday, starting with rolling thunder as a line of thunderstorms moved from Mississippi and across the region.

Moody said June, which typically signifies the start of a slower season for firefighters, was actually busier than usual.

"We had 92 runs," he recounted, breaking them down as four fires, one vehicle fire, two grass fires, 41 medical assist runs and 14 false alarms.

Moody had earlier told wpnewsblog about a person who had ignored the burn ban, had their fire get out of control and almost lost their home in the process.

"They lost an outbuilding, and almost lost their house. When it's dry, it can get away in a hurry."

Moody said an advantage residents living under the jurisdiction of the Bogalusa Fire Department have is a relatively quick response time.

"We can generally get their pretty fast," he said. "The rural districts, where they sometimes have so far to drive, are unable to do that."

Despite the ban's still being in effect, Bogalusa and Washington Parish did not go so far as some locales, where both the sale and use of fireworks was prohibited.

The cities of Shreveport and Bossier City banned fireworks sales, and extended into Bossier Parish. Additionally, Lafourche Parish also banned the sale and use of fireworks.

Moody reminded that with the burn ban still in effect, there is no legal burning option and that a complaint can result in civil penalties.