BROOKHAVEN — National Weather Service in Jackson warns the weather conditions Thursday increase the risk of wildfire. Dry, relative low humidity and unstable winds mean a fire could spread rapidly.

Lincoln County is one of 44 counties under a burn ban according to the Mississippi Forestry Commission. There are no exceptions to the burn ban and Lincoln County’s ban is effective indefinitely.  Open burning is discouraged, people are asked to dispose of cigarettes properly and to not allow trailer chains to drag along the road ways.

NWS Jackson reports all it would take is one spark to set dry fuel ablaze.

“Conditions are such that a spark from equipment, the heat from a catalytic converter, or any heat source could start a grass or brush fire,” NWS Jackson reports. “The combination of dry fine fuels, such as grass, and low relative humidity have resulted in continued fire danger across the region. Fire danger is highest in areas that have not received substantial rainfall over the past 48 hours.”

Minimum relative humidity is forecast to be about 30 to 39 percent this evening.

Brookhaven-Lincoln County Emergency Management Agency director Chris Reid reported they have had a few small grass fires but nothing major this week. The burn ban again is still in effect.

There is a small chance of rain over this weekend. Friday the forecast calls for 30 percent chance of rain mostly after 4 p.m. Saturday has a greater chance of 70 percent chance of rain mainly after 8a.m. Rainfall could be between .1 inches of rain to .25 inches of rain. Higher amounts are expected in any thunderstorms.

Sunday has a 60 percent chance of rain and Labor Day will have a 40 percent chance of rain. Tuesday the rain chances drop back down to 20 percent. It would take several days of sustained rain to alleviate the dry conditions and lift the burn ban.