A few parishes lifted burn bans as of Thursday morning, including Natchitoches and Winn.

More than half the parishes in the state had burn bans in place before rain swept through much of the state over the past week.

More cool and dry weather is in the forecast as a cold front moves through the state Louisiana. And it should be less windy on this Friday. National Weather Service (NWS) forecaster Hannah Linsey says the state is in the midst of an unseasonal dry spell. “We don't have any rain in the forecast, so we are definitely going to start to get into that time where we worry about drought for sure.” Linsey says much of Louisiana should stay dry through next week at least. But drought conditions aren’t as bad as last year at this point in the season.

Peter Williams ran for Congress in 2016 and was called “the irrelevant candidate” by a news outlet. Eight years later, he says his experience, work ethic, and ability to lead can earn him a seat in the 6th Congressional District.

He moved into the world of agriculture. He became a tree farmer and learned the importance of agriculture’s role in Louisiana’s economy.

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) is reminding Wildlife Management Area (WMA) hunters and outdoorsmen of a burn ban in many parishes due to extremely dry conditions.

The bans include the burning of trash and vegetation, as well as any other open burning. For this reason, LDWF is restricting open fires, including campfires, on WMAs in these parishes until conditions improve and the burn bans are lifted. 

APA - Engineered Wood Association Board of Trustees announces Scott Poole as its newest member. Poole is the president and chief operating officer for Martin Sustainable Resources, L.L.C. He joined Martin Companies in December 1986 as a member of the forestry team and has since held various roles in forestry, land and timber, manufacturing, and sales. In 2003, he became the highest-ranking non-family member in the company’s history.

He currently serves on the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry (LABI) boards and the Louisiana Landowners Association.

The Louisiana Logging Council, Drax Biomass, Hunt Forest Products, LaSalle Lumber Co. and Kisatchie National Forest are offering an opportunity for loggers to learn about Complimentary Forest Management, At-Risk Species, Timber Extraction and Restoration efforts on the Calcasieu District.

It's that time of year again! The West Louisiana Forestry Festival returns to Leesville October 2nd through the 6th at the Vernon Parish Fairgrounds located at 276 HM Stevens Blvd.

Festivities include a Junior, Teen, and Miss pageant held the two weekends preceding the festival. The Vernon Parish 4-H Club will have their horse show on September 29, 2024 beginning at 9:00 AM. On September 30, 2024 beginning at 5:30 PM the Woodsman Skills competition takes off and continues on October 1, 2024 at the same time.