VIDALIA, La. – Dry weather has contributed to three grass fires in the last week in Concordia Parish, according to Chief Nolen Cothren of Concordia Fire District No. 2.

&uot;But we’re not any closer to recommending a burn ban for the parish, and we probably won’t do so unless the situation gets more severe, probably two to three grass fire a day,&uot; Cothren said.

Actually, if the Cothren determined that a burn ban is needed, he would ask the Concordia Parish Police Jury to issue such ban. One of the grass fires, which happened last week, started when a Levee Board employee snagged a power line while mowing grass along the Mississippi River levee, sending sparks flying into dry grass, Cothren said.

Two more fires happened Saturday near Louisiana 565 and Louisiana 3196 when nearby residents attempted to burn off fields. In one case, sparks flew onto a large stack of hay bales nearby. &uot;But in all these cases, less than an acre burned – nothing too severe,&uot;&160;said Cothren, whose district covers much of unincorporated Concordia Parish.

Thunderstorms passed through Concordia Parish and Adams&160;County late Tuesday afternoon. Before the past week, small spotty showers throughout the parish had been enough to keep grass fires to a minimum this year.

The state Department of Agriculture and Forestry and State Fire Marshal’s Office, which issue burn bans, have not issued a ban for Concordia or surrounding parishes this year.

Such bans are issued when an area has not only rainfall but also daily high wind speeds, low humidity and a high number of grass fires, said Louis Heaton, chief of forest protection of the Department of Agriculture and Forestry.

Still, the area has only gotten about 27 inches of rain for the year to date compared with more than 36 inches in an average year.

As a result, Cothren would like area residents to keep the following tips in mind when burning debris or fields:

&uot;You’d be surprised at the number of people who wait until a day when the winds are 10 miles per hour and then decide to burn,&uot; Cothren said.