 BY DOUG GRAHAM | Staff writer Residents need to be vigilant in following a strict burn ban as wildfires continued to scorch the state, Gov. John Bel Edwards said Friday: “This is not just one fire; we have fires all over the state of Louisiana.” Louisiana has been under a statewide burn ban since Aug. 7. In August, the state has seen more than 441 wildfires, which have burned more than 30,000 acres. Read: Everything you need to know about Louisiana wildfires, including how to track them.
Sticking with the theme of summer suffering: Utility companies are asking local residents to conserve water. Because of high demand, high heat and little rain, contingency plans call primarily for customers to refrain from, or at a minimum, be more strategic in watering their lawns and landscaping. Water company officials have asked residents not to water lawns during peak demand times between 5 and 9 p.m.
The EPA is studying its smog standards again, and it could lead to even tighter limits — which would likely mean more changes in Baton Rouge, if not more widely in Louisiana. The Baton Rouge area has fought bad air and bad ozone days this summer as it grapples with Canadian wildfires, Saharan desert sands and unusually hot, dry, sunny days. The capital region's ozone levels are just barely in compliance with current rules, so proposed reductions would raise serious questions about whether the area could remain in compliance. | 
