Calcasieu and Cameron parish burn bans remain in effect, the westbound I-10 entrance ramp at PPG Drive closes today through February, and early voting for the Nov. 3 election ends Tuesday.

1. Calcasieu Parish — What changed today

• Burn ban still in effect in Calcasieu Parish
  The Police Jury homepage still displays its BURN BAN banner this morning, and the Oct. 14 notice, signed by Police Jury President Brian Abshire, prohibits all outdoor private burning of any kind, with prescribed burns excluded, and states no end date. No lift or new order was found this morning.
  Source: Calcasieu Parish Police Jury, calcasieu.gov
• Early voting today and Tuesday — then it ends
  Early voting for the Nov. 3 election runs today, Monday, Oct. 26, and Tuesday, Oct. 27, from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., at the four Calcasieu Parish early-voting sites: the Registrar of Voters Office, 1000 Ryan St., Room 7, Lake Charles; the Sulphur Law Enforcement Building, 500 N. Huntington St., Sulphur; the Moss Bluff Public Library, 261 Parish Rd., Lake Charles; and the Iowa Library Annex, 109 S. Thompson Ave., Iowa. There is no early voting after Tuesday. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3, with polls open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.
  Source: Louisiana Secretary of State / GeauxVote; Calcasieu Parish Clerk of Court
• PPG Drive ramp closes today
  The westbound I-10 entrance ramp at PPG Drive (Exit 26) closes today, Monday, Oct. 26, and stays closed until February 2027 so crews can build a new permanent roadway. The detour runs via U.S. 90 West and LA 108 South. Check 511la.org before traveling.
  Source: Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development, Oct. 8, 2026

No new Calcasieu Parish Police Jury meeting or closure actions were posted for this week; the next Police Jury meeting listed is Thursday, Nov. 5, at 5:30 p.m. No Calcasieu Parish School Board meeting is listed for this week; the next board meeting listed is Tuesday, Nov. 10, at 5 p.m.

2. Southwest Louisiana — Cameron, Jeff Davis, Allen, Beauregard

• Cameron Parish burn ban in its first week
  Cameron Parish's parish-wide burn ban, effective Oct. 21, 2026, remains in effect for up to 30 days. The notice, signed by Police Jury President Michael Fewell, cites drought conditions and will be ratified at the jury's nearest public meeting. Violations carry up to a $300 fine and/or 30 days in jail.
  Source: Cameron Parish Police Jury, cameronpj.org

Beauregard Parish was also on the state's Oct. 16 burn-ban list, and no lifting notice was found this morning. No new postings were found this morning from the Jeff Davis or Allen police juries.

3. Louisiana — Only if it affects SWLA

• Mail-ballot deadlines follow early voting
  After early voting ends Tuesday, the next election deadlines are for mail ballots: the general deadline to request an absentee ballot is Friday, Oct. 30, at 4:30 p.m., and a voted absentee ballot must reach the parish registrar of voters by Monday, Nov. 2, at 4:30 p.m. Different rules apply to military and overseas voters. Check GeauxVote for your sample ballot and polling place.
  Source: Louisiana Secretary of State / GeauxVote

4. Weather, fire danger, roads, and closures

• Weather today: Mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming sunny, with a high near 82; east wind around 5 mph. Tonight: increasing clouds, low around 59. Tuesday: partly sunny, high near 83. Wednesday: sunny, high near 85. (NWS Lake Charles, forecast updated 2:46 a.m.)
• Fire danger / burn guidance: No Red Flag Warning or Fire Weather Watch was in effect for the Lake Charles forecast area this morning, but afternoon humidity stays low and fuels stay dry — burn bans are verified in effect in Calcasieu and Cameron parishes, and Beauregard remains on the state's Oct. 16 list.
• Roads / closures: Westbound I-10 over the Calcasieu River Bridge closes Sunday through Thursday nights from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. until mid-December, per DOTD's Oct. 21 update, weather permitting, with no closures during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday weeks; the detour runs via Lakeshore Drive, eastbound I-10, and I-210 West. The I-210 West flyover ramp to I-10 West stays reduced to one lane through Oct. 2027.
• Closures / delays: None posted by owner agencies this morning.

5. Today + Tomorrow on the calendar

• Today, Oct. 26: Early voting, 8:30 a.m.–6 p.m. — Westbound I-10 PPG Drive entrance ramp (Exit 26) closure begins, through February 2027.
• Tomorrow, Oct. 27: Early voting ends, 8:30 a.m.–6 p.m. — SOWELA Grad Fest, 12–3 p.m., Sycamore Student Center Multipurpose Room, for fall graduates picking up caps and gowns — Southwest Louisiana Coastal Summit, L'Auberge Casino Resort, Lake Charles, $100 registration including lunch — Lake Charles City Council Agenda Meeting, 5:30 p.m., City Council Chambers, City Hall, 326 Pujo St. — McNeese softball at UL-Lafayette, 6 p.m.
  Source: SOWELA; Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana; City of Lake Charles; McNeese Athletics

6. Looking ahead

The DOTD District 07 Road Show — the public hearing on highway construction priorities for Allen, Beauregard, Calcasieu, Cameron, and Jefferson Davis parishes — is Thursday, Oct. 29, at 9 a.m. in the Calcasieu Parish Police Jury Council Chambers, 1015 Pithon Street, Lake Charles. McNeese football hosts Nicholls on Saturday, Oct. 31, at 2 p.m. at Navarre Stadium.

Sources consulted

• National Weather Service Lake Charles — forecast.weather.gov (Lake Charles point forecast, updated 2:46 a.m. CDT Oct. 26: today high near 82, tonight low around 59, Tuesday high near 83, Wednesday high near 85; no Red Flag Warning in effect)
• Calcasieu Parish Police Jury — calcasieu.gov (burn-ban notice, Oct. 14, 2026)
• Cameron Parish Police Jury — cameronpj.org (burn-ban notice, Oct. 21, 2026)
• Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development — DOTD announcements, Oct. 8 and Oct. 21, 2026 (511la.org showed no advisories at the 4 a.m. check; see notes file)
• Louisiana Secretary of State / GeauxVote — voter portal
• Calcasieu Parish Clerk of Court — early-voting locations
• SOWELA — sowela.edu (graduation information)
• McNeese Athletics — mcneesesports.com (2026 football schedule)
• Calcasieu Parish School Board — cpsb.org (important dates)

Editor’s note

This brief summarizes facts from official releases, agency notices, and organizer listings, in our own words. When a matter is under investigation, we say so. If you spot an error, contact us with the official source or document so it can be corrected. This brief is for general information only and is not legal, medical, financial, or insurance advice.