Four Louisiana parishes issue burn bans

Severe dry conditions have led four Louisiana parishes to issue burn bans this week.

Jonathan Brazzell, a hydrologist for the National Weather Service in Lake Charles, said that although weather patterns dumped a lot of rain on the state in June, the spigot was closed afterward.

"It just shut off," he said. "It's a flash drought."

Parishes with burn bans as of Thursay morning, (Aug. 6, 2026) included Caldwell, DeSoto, Union and Washington. Check out a map of parishes that have established burn bans by clicking on this link.

Brazzell said the KDBI values for teh state overall is 600 and above, with Southeast Louisiana being the worst area of the state at above 700 in some places. The KDBI values range from 0-800 with 0 being the wettest and 800 being completely dry.

"Anything above 400 is the magic number," Brazzell said. That's the number considered putting forests in danger of more easily susceptible to wildfire.

The drier areas stretch from Southeast Louisiana, through the Avoyelles Parish area northward, he said.

As for relief, Brazzell said the are is in a normal weather pattern where some areas will get rain but nothing broad reaching.

"We're not forecastin a lot of rain rain," he said. "That's fairly normal for this time of year. I can see that happening."

With the hot, dry conditions, Brazzell said more parishes issuing burn bans is very possible. But, as weather goes, he said it is probably temporary.

"We have a big El Niño right now. Normally with that we have a wet winter and wet spring," he said.