As the mercury creeps ever higher and St. Tammany continues to be without any significant precipitation, local fire chiefs are watching closely.

The stretch of hot and dry weather has created conditions that greatly increase the danger of fire for the area. According to the National Weather Service, there has been no measurable rainfall since June 4, when less than half an inch was recorded. With no rain predicted in the forecast until at least next Friday, the U.S. Drought Monitor has classified the southern half of Louisiana as “abnormally dry with moderate drought looming.”

In Slidell, officials at St. Tammany Fire District 1 are working closely with the Slidell Police Department on enforcing existing ordinances that ban trash fires and fireworks within city limits. Certain controlled burn situations, such as that being done to clear the land for the Summit Fremaux project, may be allowed to proceed but with tighter restrictions.

A sign outside Fire District 11 in Pearl River indicates fire danger for the area is High. According to the Louisiana Department of Forestry, this level means that fires start easily from most causes, and controlling the fire can be difficult if attack is not initiated promptly, especially in heavy fuel situations. (Staff Photo by Anne Lautzenheiser)

“They were approved for the burning before these conditions started,” said FD1 Chief of Fire Prevention Neil Ricca. “They’ll have their own water supply truck and someone attending the burn at all times.”

Ricca cited a weekly report from the Louisiana Office of State Climatology, which showed that temperatures have been averaging one degree above normal, and that topsoil moisture is in “short” condition, meaning the soil is getting significantly less moisture than what is needed. The report also said that last week the statewide precipitation averaged just 0.1 inches, about 1.1 inches below the normal level for this time period.

In Lacombe, Chief Chuck Flynn of Fire District 3 said his crew has been battling brush fires every day.

“We’ve actually been going out at least a couple times a day,” said Flynn. “There have been a lot of rekindles, where the fire is controlled on the surface but it manages to travel underground and pop up somewhere else.”

Parish-wide, the fire danger level is at High or Very High. Flynn said a sign at the FD3 administrative office sits on a dry brown patch of grass, confirming the conditions that lend themselves to fire.

Recently a brush fire came within 15 feet of homes near Abita Springs, and Fire District 4 Chief Merrick Tassin urged residents in unincorporated areas to closely follow parish burn ordinances. While there is currently no burn ban in effect for those areas, Tassin and many of the chiefs have been in close contact with St. Tammany Parish Fire Superintendent John O’Neil to determine if a ban will be issued.

Previously, the longest dry spell for the area was 29 days, from May 9 to June 6, 2006. If next week’s predictions for rain do not hold out, it could put a damper on holiday fun.

“We’ll have to think carefully about having fireworks,” said Ricca. “If we don’t get any rain soon, it is really going to be a problem.”