A state-wide burn ban issued by the governor last month has beenlifted in almost all areas after significant rainfall last week

A state-wide burn ban issued by the governor last month has beenlifted in almost all areas after significant rainfall lastweek.

“The state forester suspended the governor’s burn ban in all but12 counties,” said Randy Chapin, district protection forester, ofthe action taken Tuesday.

Area counties, including Lincoln, Lawrence, Franklin and Copiah,were among the ones freed from the ban.

The counties remaining under the ban include Carroll,Montgomery, Webster, Choctaw, Lowndes, Attala, Winston, Noxubee,Leake, Neshoba, Kemper and Oktibbeha.

State Forester James L. Sledge Jr. said the ban was liftedbecause landowners needed to conduct controlled burns, and theincreased moisture content decreased the risk factors.

Land owners cannot burn, though, in counties where supervisorshave issued burn bans, explained Chapin.

“The county burn bans remain in effect until the countysupervisors remove them,” he added.

Burn bans were issued by supervisors in Copiah and LincolnCounty, but the bans end September 30 and October 2,respectively.

Supervisors have the option of reinstating the burn bans on orbefore the expiration date.

If the county burn bans are lifted, landowners will be able toburn if they receive a permit, which can be applied for through theMississippi Forestry Commission.

Foresters still want residents to be careful when conductingburns because, despite recent rainfall, the state is stillsuffering.

“That little rain we got really helped, but the forestrycommission still urges all burners to use caution,” said Chapin,mentioning how burners are liable for their actions.

Some areas of Lincoln County received over two inches of rainduring the past week, according to figures at the Waste WaterTreatment Plant in Brookhaven.

Although the rainfall added some moisture to the ground, it onlyhelped the top layer, so the ground is still relatively dry,officials said.

Residents are urged to not conduct any type of burning, becautious about sparks coming from vehicles and to not discard litcigarettes, all of which have been the suspected causes of recentwildfires.