"Louisiana Landowner Faces Legal Action for Ignoring Statewide Burn Ban"

The owner of a property in St. Landry Parish, Louisiana, who had hired a contractor to clear the land for a rice and crawfish farm, has been issued a cease and desist order by the State Fire Marshal for violating the state burn ban. Investigators found several burn piles ignited on the property, which was in violation of the ban. The landowner, Cody Fortier, is the owner of Rigid Constructors, and the contractor had obtained permission from fire officials to burn the cleared brush.