Parish of Natchitoches

08/17/2026

Parish Council Meeting
August 17, 2026
5:30 pm

Natchitoches Parish Council Meeting August 17, 2026.

08/17/2026

BETHANY ROAD CLOSURE

Monday, August 24th and Tuesday, August 25th, 2026 Bethany Road will be closed from LA 487 to Locks Pond Road for repairs. Please be advised that alternate routes should be planned. Care should be taken if driving in the area to avoid heavy equipment, trucks, and highway workers.

08/14/2026

08/13/2026

BURN BAN

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE DATE: August 13, 2026

CONTACT: Office of the Parish President
PHONE: 318-352-2714

Natchitoches Parish President John Salter Issues Parish-Wide Burn Ban Effective Immediately

NATCHITOCHES, LA – Due to continued extreme heat, prolonged drought conditions, and an elevated risk of wildfires, Natchitoches Parish President John Salter has officially issued a Parish-Wide Burn Ban, effective today, August 13, 2026.

This decision follows formal requests from the Natchitoches Parish Fire Districts, whose resources have been increasingly strained by the high fire danger present throughout the region. The current lack of significant rainfall has left vegetation dangerously dry, meaning even small outdoor fires can rapidly escalate into unmanageable and life-threatening emergencies.

"The safety of our residents and the protection of their property are our highest priorities," said President John Salter. "By implementing this ban, we are taking a proactive step to prevent avoidable disasters and ensure our local fire departments can remain focused on essential emergency services."

Prohibited Activities Include:

Burning of leaves, pine straw, yard debris, or brush.
Use of fire pits, campfires, or open-flame outdoor cooking (excluding professional-grade grills/smokers).
Burning of construction debris, trash, or agricultural waste.
All previously authorized "controlled burns" are now suspended.

Enforcement and Compliance

The Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Office and local law enforcement will strictly enforce this order. Citizens found in violation of the burn ban may face citations or criminal charges.

The ban will remain in effect until weather conditions significantly improve and the threat of wildfire has subsided. An official notice will be released once the ban is rescinded.

Residents are encouraged to stay vigilant and report any unauthorized burning or signs of wildfire immediately by calling 911.

08/06/2026

HEAVY EQUIPMENT TRAFFIC ADVISORY: AUGUST 8th and 9th, 2026 - Saturday & Sunday.

President Salter would like to advise the public that there will be increased heavy truck traffic on Saturday & Sunday, August 8th & 9th, at Hwy 6.

AFFECTED AREAS: I-49 to Hwy 504 at the new traffic circle. Possible extension to Lime Kiln Road. Eight-Mile Loop will also be affected, as drilling equipment is hauled into the area.

If possible, avoid these congested traffic areas. Extra care should be taken if traveling these corridors this weekend.

08/03/2026

Natchitoches Parish Council
Special meeting
August 3, 2026
1:00 pm

Special Parish Council Meeting August 3rd 2026

07/27/2026

Natchitoches Parish Council Meeting
July 27, 2026
5:30 pm

Natchitoches Parish Council Meeting July 27, 2026.

07/08/2026

POWER OUTAGE

Entergy has notified SWEPCO that a Transmission Pole on the line providing power to SWEPCO’s Grand Ecore Sub-Station has an issue and must be replaced immediately. To safely complete this work, power will be cut impacting approximately 1,953 SWEPCO customers in Natchitoches Parish.

This is a temporary, short-term outage expected to last an estimated 3-4 hours.

SWEPCO will send texts and emails to their customers to let them know details of this outage.

06/22/2026

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZAoRzJ91i4

Natchitoches Parish Regular Council Meeting for June 15, 2026.