Several fires keep firefighters busy in the Golden Triangle
OKTIBBEHA COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – Fires can spread quickly in the right conditions, burning hundreds of acres at a time. It’s a scenario that kept firefighters busy over the weekend.
“Recently over the last couple of days, we have had five or six grass fires per day, and that kept us strung out in the county,” said Oktibbeha County Fire Coordinator Patrick Warner.
Warner said you have to take extra steps to keep the flames contained in a controlled burn.
“It depends on what you are burning. If you are burning in pasture, you want to make sure that you wet the outskirts of the fire so that it does not spread to others,” said Warner.
As the fire quickly spreads, a situation can turn dangerous in a matter of minutes.
“There was a grass fire the other day where it got out of hand and caught a trailer on fire. And then it turned from a grass fire to a structure fire. So, when people do not take those precautions, that is what happens,” said Warner.
If you are thinking of burning debris, Warner said you should wait for certain weather conditions.
“The best conditions are right after rain, and we have not had a lot of rain lately. Even though the ground is still wet underneath, there is still dry grass on top. And obviously, the best conditions to burn are after rain and no wind. Lately, we have had no rain and a lot of wind,” said Warner.
Warner said if you have any questions about how you should safely burn something, you should contact your local fire department for safety tips.
