Lack of rain keeps fire department busy, livestock farmers in lurch

From June 1 to Thursday, Oct. 22, the Eunice Fire Department responded to four times the number of grass fires it did during the same time period last year.
Eunice Fire Chief Mike Arnold said. “We’ve had 16 grass fires in the same amount of time. We only had four in the same time frame last year. These are all grass fires that started as grass fires. We just provided mutual aid for a grass fire in Richard, but that fire was started by a fire at an abandoned house and was threatening an occupied residence. The grass was over our heads, and that north wind was making the fire run.”
“We responded to two grass fires in the city limits this past weekend.”
While firefighters have responded to some grass fires that were the result of residents burning items in their yards, grass fires can also be cause by discarded cigarette butts, riding all terrain vehicles and utility terrain vehicles in long grass and small bonfires.
A state wide burn ban is in place, and those who violate the ban can face a $250 fine from the state fire marshal’s office and criminal penalties.
“The state fire chief is almost hesitant to let you barbecue right now,” Arnold said. “As dry as it is right now, a fire wouldn’t take long to take off.”
“If we get the rain that is being forecasted for this weekend — 4 inches from what I’ve heard — we can lift the ban (in St. Landry Parish) come Monday morning, if the state ban is lifted. The state fire marshal can also lift the ban in certain parts of the state, like if it rains more here than it does in north Louisiana. In St. Landry, we should get enough rain to lift the ban.”
Those who violate the burn ban in city limits could also be subject to the city ordinance against burning in city limits, and that violation is a fine up to $250 plus court costs or up to 30 days in jail, or both. If the fire is started intentionally, arson charges applies, and those penalties are greater than the fines for violating the burn ban.
While the forecasted rain will hopefully reduce the number of grass fires in the area, the weekend showers may be a little too late for local livestock producers.
On Wednesday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced that drought disaster aid is available for livestock producers in Louisiana and Mississippi, by parish and county, and producers in St. Landry, Acadia and Evangeline parishes are eligible for assistance.
Mardell Sibley, county executive director for St. Landry Parish Farm Service Agency, said, “The first time we had this program, in 2000, we had over 600 livestock producers apply. I expect 300 or so applicants this time, possibly more.”
Sibley said she plans to have a couple of producer meetings throughout the parish to talk about what resources available and answer questions.
One option for assistance is the Livestock Forage Program, and producers have until Jan. 31, 2016 to file a complete application.
“It is a payment to partially reimburse for grazing losses for the past three months,” Sibley said. “Producers should call the local FSA office to set an appointment. It is a very simple program. Payments should go out fairly quickly after their application is approved.”
Livestock producers can also apply for the non-insured assistance program for grazing losses, which kick in when producer’s individual grazing loss at 50 percent of his or her entire operation. Producers can enroll for 2016 between now and Feb. 28, 2016. There is a $250 administrative fee per parish if the producer has livestock in multiple parishes. The fee is waived if a producer is a beginning farmer, with less than 10 years, or socially disadvantaged as in a minority or female.
“We also have a new Conservation Reserve Grassland Program, which is a 14- to 15-year program that pays an annual rental rate of $15 per acre and lets producers still graze or hay the land according to a conservation program,” Sibley said. “And we have micro loans of $50,000 or less that have an abbreviated application process. We can restructure other agricultural loans such as operating and equipment loans and other lending resources at our disposal.”
For more information, visit www.disaster.fsa.usda.gov.