Two months have passed since Mississippi officials called for a burn ban to be issued in the majority of counties across the state, with several more being added to the list due to extreme drought conditions.
Since August 1, the Mississippi Forestry Commission (MFC) has responded to a total of 1,030 fires, which have burned 16,000 acres throughout the Magnolia State. MFC officials released on Tuesday that wildland firefighters and their partners have protected approximately 1,885 structures from wildfires within the past few months.
Now, the MFC is asking the public to remain attentive and comply with burn bans to prevent wildfires, as October is typically one of the driest months of the year.
A total of 55 counties spanning the state are still under a partial burn ban despite the recent rainfall seen in the lower Mississippi valley.
While there are indications that El Niño may bring more rainfall towards the end of October, MFC has stated that it is important to acknowledge that the damage caused by the drought and the underlying dryness will persist until that time.
“Experts describe the drought’s effects as the most severe in at least a generation. Pervasive dryness throughout the Mississippi River Basin has resulted in low water levels, allowing wildfires to encroach upon hardwood river bottoms in parts of Mississippi,” MFC Fire Chief Randy Giachelli explained. “Additionally, our deciduous trees are shedding leaves early due to the drought. However, the area at most risk continues to be pine forests and the underlying southern rough.”
The Keetch Byram Drought Index (KBDI) currently hovers near its historical maximum, indicating the persistent risks associated with underlying drought. KBDIs in the central and south Mississippi areas remain above the 97th percentile.
Critical fire weather conditions may arise from various factors, including dry cold fronts followed by windy and dry conditions, strong high pressure over the northern U.S. combined with low pressure south of the advisory area, subsidence adjacent to tropical cyclones, sea breeze fronts, and erratic winds associated with outflow from nearby thunderstorms.
“Please remember that 9 of 10 wildfires are human-caused. The slightest spark can cause a wildfire,” Giachelli added. “Even small things like throwing cigarette butts out of a car, dragging chains, or other towing mechanisms down the street behind a vehicle can cause a fire. If you start a fire, you can be held accountable or fined for damages.”
Here’s the current list of Mississippi counties that are under a burn ban:
- Adams
- Amite
- Attala
- Bolivar
- Calhoun
- Carroll
- Chickasaw
- Claiborne
- Clarke
- Clay
- Copiah
- Covington
- Forrest
- Franklin
- George
- Greene
- Grenada
- Hancock
- Harrison
- Hinds
- Humphreys
- Issaquena
- Jackson
- Jasper
- Jefferson
- Jefferson Davis
- Jones
- Lamar
- Lauderdale
- Lawrence
- Leake
- Lee
- Lincoln
- Madison
- Marion
- Monroe
- Neshoba
- Newton
- Panola
- Pearl River
- Perry
- Pike
- Pontotoc
- Rankin
- Scott
- Sharkey
- Simpson
- Smith
- Stone
- Union
- Walthall
- Warren
- Wayne
- Wilkinson
- Yazoo
