Webster Parish Officially Issues Mandatory Burn Ban Amid Extreme Heat

I saw where someone had written on social media over the weekend, "It's hotter around here than a spoon at a crack house."

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While we can all see the humor in that writing, it's so painfully true, that it's really hard to laugh about. And now, the extreme heat has caused complications in another northwest Louisiana parish.

Yesterday, Monday, August 17, the Webster Parish Police Jury announced that Webster Parish is now also, under a Burn Ban effective immediately. In the announcement, the Police Jury stated that "Upon recommendation from the Webster Parish Fire Chiefs Association, we have issued a burn ban prohibiting all outdoor burning in accordance with Parish Ordinance No. 976.

The Police Jury reminds all citizens of Webster Parish that "This ban shall be in effect until such time as the parish receives sufficient rainfall and the Fire Chiefs Association deems the emergency conditions have subsided."

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This means that Webster Parish now joins DeSoto Parish, Caddo Parish, and Bossier Parish in banning all outdoor burning until such a point where we've received enough moisture to deem conditions safe again for outdoor burning.

A quick look at the Louisiana Burn Ban Map from the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry and we see that only Bienville, Claiborne and Red River Parishes remain without burn bans in all of the northwest corner of the Bayou State. And one can only assume those parishes will soon follow suit, especially considering that this heat wave isn't showing any signs of ending in the near future.

Along with the dangers of any outdoor burning, the National Weather Service in Shreveport reminds us that this type of oppressive heat can bring on other issues for those working outdoors in the form of Heat Exhaustion or Heat Stroke.

So, until Mother Nature has completed her demonstration of total dominance over us, take heed and just try to find some way to enjoy life in the comforts of the air conditioning.