St. Martin Parish President Pete Delcambre has issued an executive order prohibiting outdoor burning across the parish in response to ongoing drought conditions and high winds that officials say pose a serious threat to public safety.
According to Executive Order 2026, local fire departments and emergency crews have been overwhelmed in recent days by multiple outdoor burn incidents. After consultations with parish fire officials, Delcambre declared a state of emergency and enacted the burn ban to help protect both citizens and property.
The order exempts certain activities, including supervised outdoor cooking in controlled settings and prescribed burns authorized or conducted by certified personnel through the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry. Agricultural burning carried out under the state’s Right to Farm Law also remains permitted.
All parish emergency preparedness plans have been activated, and Terry Guidry, Director of St. Martin Parish Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, has been appointed as the point of contact to coordinate response efforts. Parish fire departments have authority to extinguish any fires found in violation of the order.
Violators could face penalties under Louisiana law (La. R.S. 29:727(G)). The burn ban took effect February 24 and will remain in place until conditions improve.
