Lowndes County is under a burn ban, effective immediately, after the county board of supervisor’s unanimously approved a request made by county fire coordinator Sammy Fondren during the board’s Thursday meeting.
Supervisors approved a ban that will be in effect through Oct. 30.
“We’re asking for this ban, based on the information we have from the (U.S.) Drought Monitor system,” Fondren told supervisors. “While the north part of the county is listed as abnormally dry, the south and west parts of the county are listed as extremely dry. Given that, I think it’s best that we put into effect a burn ban for the entire county.”
Any person who knowingly and willfully violates a burning ban is guilty of a misdemeanor and may be fined not less than $100 and not more than $500, according to the Forestry Commission.
“We’re not really looking to fine people,” Fondren said. “We realize that some people won’t know about it. So when we encounter a situation where somebody is burning brush on their property or something like that, we want to inform them. If they violate the ban after that, that’s when the fine would come into effect.”
The burn bans are enforced by the Mississippi Forestry Commission, 911 and the sheriff’s department.
“What people should remember is that even if we get some rain between now and the end of the month, the ban is still in place until it is lifted,” Fondren said.
A burn ban also went into effect Thursday for Oktibbeha County. The ban there does not have a specified end date. It will continue until further notice.
The Mississippi Forestry Commission lists 33 counties in the state currently under burn bans.
Slim Smith is a columnist and feature writer for The Dispatch. His email address is [email protected].
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