Officials have issued a ban on all private burning without permission in several parishes.

Extraordinary dry and hot weather has turned most of Louisiana into a tinderbox, with just a stray spark necessary to start a major fire.

State Fire Marshal, H. Butch Browning and Agriculture and Forestry Commissioner, Mike Strain issued the order.

Private burning shall only be allowed by permission of the local fire department or local government.

In most municipalities, private burning is against the law.

This order is for the following parishes: Allen, Acadia, Avoyelles, Beaurgard, Bieneville, Bossier, Caddo, Calcasieu, Caldwell, Cameron, Catahoula, Clairborne, Desoto, Evangeline, Jackson, Jefferson Davis, LaSalle, Lincoln, Natchitoches, Pointe Coupee, Rapides, Red River, Sabine, St. Landry, Union, Vermillion, Vernon, Webster and Winn.

This ban shall not apply to prescribed burns by the Department of Agriculture and Forestry, by those trained and certified by the Department of Agriculture and Forestry, or by those who conduct prescribed burning as a “generally accepted agriculture practice” as defined by the Louisiana Right to Farm Law (R.S. 3:3601 et seq.).

Violation of this order could result in civil penalties.