Grilling During a Burn Ban – What Louisiana’s Grill Kings Need to Know
(KMDL-FM) Louisiana is about to experience a major conundrum. We are fast approaching the football season, and there are burn bans in place around the state. That leads us to the important question: Can I use my outdoor grill during a Louisiana burn ban?
Football season means tailgating, and when we tailgate in Louisiana, we bring out the grills, the smokers, the flat tops, and the big Green Eggs because football makes you hungry. But would cooking outside with a proper grill be a violation of a state-mandated or parish-mandated burn ban?
First, let's see where burn bans are currently in effect across the state. We offer this caveat: with extremely hot and dry conditions forecast for the next several days, more parishes could join this list, so make sure you are up to date on the latest news regarding not only burn bans but also the excessive and oppressive heat.
24 Louisiana Parishes Under Burn Bans - Here's The List
The parishes that are currently under burn ban orders are Acadia, Allen, Beauregard, Bossier, Caddo, Calcasieu, Caldwell, Catahoula, De Soto, East Feliciana, Franklin, Lincoln, Morehouse, Natchitoches, Sabine, St Helena, Tangipahoa, Union, Vernon, Washington, Webster, West Carroll, and Winn.
If you didn't count, that's 24 of Louisiana's 64 parishes, so about one third of the state is under a fire prevention ordinance, which means a lot of you are wondering if you can use your grill on the patio this weekend.
What Does Louisiana Law Say About Using an Outdoor Grill During a Burn Ban?
The short answer is yes. A more accurate answer is yes, but there are a lot of qualifications you need to review to see if cooking with your grill is what you really want to do, because you could still be at risk of legal action against you.
Here is the clarity you need:
Yes, you may cook with any standard gas, propane, pellet, or charcoal grill that has a lid or cover and was specifically designed for cooking. The unit needs to be placed on a flame-resistant footing, such as a concrete patio, bare dirt, or gravel. There should be at least 3 to 5 feet of clearance between the grilling unit and any combustibles.
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Although it's not required, it would be a good idea to have fire prevention and abatement equipment handy. What we mean by that is to have a fire extinguisher, a garden hose, or a large bucket of water nearby. And never leave an active grill unattended.
Even if you follow all of these steps, you could still be liable should flames escape your grill and start a wildfire. You can be cited at the state and local level and be legally responsible for the cost of a fire department response if needed.
Can You Use a Fire Pit During a Burn Ban in Louisiana?
Technically, a wood-burning fire pit is considered an open burn. However, many local authorities make allowances for smaller "backyard" fire pits. You are certainly okay to use a gas or propane pit, but unless you can quickly cover that fire pit, common sense would suggest you don't fire it up.
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The information we are presenting to you is on a statewide level. Burn bans can be more locally restrictive based on the decisions of local authorities, so while on the state level cooking with your grill is good, you might want to check with your parish or municipal government to see if they haven't imposed tighter restrictions because of conditions in your specific parish.
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Gallery Credit: Michaela Johnson
