Video: Burn Ban Issued For Lowndes County

by Victoria Bailey

LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss.(WCBI)—Lowndes County joins three others in our area imposing a burn ban.

The Board of Supervisors approved it this morning.

A burn ban means that conditions outside are much drier than normal and the chances of a fire growing out of control are much higher.

Dry ground and drought-like conditions. It’s the perfect combination to spark a fire.

“We’ve had very little rain in the past few weeks. And actually we’ve had very few brush fires up till recently. It really started to pick up with lower humidity values on account of the cooler temperatures moving in and we’ve gotten very active,” Lowndes County Fire Coordinator Sammy Fondran said.

Most brush fires start with someone lights a small fire on their personal property to burn trash or leaves and it gets out of control.

” That’s normally what happens somebody starts out with a controlled burn. Their burning something and it suddenly gets away from them it gets on the adjoining property and the next thing it’s into the woods,”Fondran said.

Oktibbeha County’s Fire Coordinator says you can keep your fire under control by simply paying attention.

” If you did have to do some outside burning or something they need to stay their with it so if there is some sort of problem or it gets away don’t hesitate to call us,”Oktibbeha County Fire Coordinator Kirk Rosenhan said.

Any resident caught burning during a ban could face consequences.

“The sheriff’s department…deputy can issue a citation if your burning during the ban and like wise if the forestry commission has to come out. They have the abilities to asses you a penalty as well so it could get costly,”Fondran said.

The burn ban will expire at the end of October.