A coordinated effort by first responders helped contain a 176-acre wildfire near Tishomingo County.
The Mississippi Forestry Commission said the blaze broke out in Dawson Bottom on Friday. Wildland firefighters from all of Service Area 13, which includes Alcorn, Prentiss, and Tishomingo counties, were called to the scene. First responders operated bulldozers in three different directions to combat a pair of distinct head fires in the area.
Their efforts proved successful, with officials reporting that the firefighters protected the timber and property of 25 different area landowners.
“Even swampy bottomlands, where you typically see standing water, are bone dry right now,” a release from the Forestry Commission reads. “With conditions this dry, a single ember can easily blow across water or clearings and ignite a whole new head fire in seconds.”
There are currently 52 Mississippi counties under a burn ban. As dry conditions persist, officials urge residents in affected counties to avoid any outdoor burning.
