State of Emergency for Webster Parish

WHERE AS, the Parish of Webster is threatened with an emergency condition due to the lack of rainfall in our region and extreme heat conditions, that has created dangerous fire conditions for our parish.

WHEREAS, The Webster Parish Fire Chiefs Association agrees, that there is a very definite threat possibility to life and property of the citizens of this Parish, as well as, first responder safety; and requested the Burn Ban be in effect for Webster Parish beginning August 7, 2023 and will remain in effect until conditions improve; and

WHEREAS, the Louisiana Homeland Security and Emergency Assistance and Disaster Act, La. R.S. 29:721, et seq., and specifically La. R.S. 29:727 confers upon the Parish President emergency powers to deal with emergencies and disasters, including those caused by fire, flood, earthquake or other natural or manmade causes, in order to ensure that preparations of their Parish will be adequate to deal with such emergencies or disasters and to preserve the lives and property of the people of their Parish;

WHEREAS, the burn ban shall prohibit all outdoor burning such as campfires, trash fires, and any other open burning. This ordinance SHALL NOT apply to prescribed burns by the La. Department of Agriculture and Forestry.

THEREFORE, I, Jim Bonsall, President of the Webster Parish Police Jury, by authority vested in me by the Parish Charter and the Louisiana Disaster Act, do hereby proclaim;

A STATE OF EMERGENCY does exist within Webster Parish and that the Emergency Preparedness / AU Hazards Emergency Operations Plan be activated and in effect immediately Issued on this 7th day of August 2023 and effective at time of issuance.