After nearly three months of LaSalle Parish under a Burn Ban, a soaking rain last week allowed parish fire department officials to lift the ban completely.

The announcement was made October 13 by LaSalle Parish Fire Chief’s Association President and Jena Fire Chief Josh Corley, who noted that after all fire chiefs in the parish communicated about the ban, they elected to remove the ban from the parish.

Unusually hot and dry weather for most of the summer led to a parish burn ban put into effect on July 28. During that initial ban, residents could still burn as long as the fire was contained in a metal barrel, barbeque pit or other containers that did not have ground contact.

By mid-August, forest and wood fires were dominating the area, many burning hundreds of acres across the parish and cenla. During this time, the Louisiana Fire Marshal’s Office also issued a statewide burn ban, due to the “extremely dry conditions statewide and the concern over first responder safety in these dangerously high temperatures.”

Eventually, no burning whatsoever was permitted as the state fought massive forest fires in several parts of Louisiana.

During August, fire departments in LaSalle Parish responded to over 60 calls and many citations were issued by law enforcement for residents in violation of the burn ban.

As September arrived, the burn ban was still in effect, however, a scattered shower or rain event gave hope to many that conditions were improving.

By last Friday, conditions were good enough for the parish fire chiefs to join together to cancel the ban. The state had already given local parish fire chiefs the authority to cancel all or part of the ban as warranted in individual parishes.