JACKSON — Extreme drought conditions have transformed Mississippi into a tinder box just waiting for a spark. Since August 1, Mississippi Forestry Commission has been busy aiding fire departments in battling wildfires.

Lincoln County Emergency Management Agency Director Chris Reid said they responded to a woods fire on Timber Lane yesterday. He said they were able to get it extinguished pretty quickly before it got out of control.

Mississippi Forestry Commission has suppressed 1,183 wildfires and protected 2,184 homes since August 1. Those fires burned 17,877 acres across the state. A burn ban remains in effect for Lincoln County and 60 other counties across Mississippi.

No rain is in sight over the next few days. Sprinkles are forecast to reach Lincoln County on Monday and Tuesday of next week. Drought conditions continue to persist.

October could be one for the record books. NWS Jackson shows .23 inches of rain have fallen this month which would tie for ninth driest October in history set in 1989. It could be worse, five of the driest Octobers on record had zero inches of rainfall in 2005, 1963, 1952, 1924 and 1904.

Lincoln County does not have any active wildfires but there is a fire burning just north of Gloster in Amite County according to NASA’s fire mapping software.