BROOKHAVEN  — Lincoln County made it six whole days without a wildfire and would have made it to seven days but a tire had other ideas. Mississippi Highway Patrol reported a grass fire on I-55 near Brookhaven Tuesday evening.

A tire blowout apparently sparked the grass fire on the northbound side of I-55 near mile marker 36 around 9:20 p.m. Tuesday. MHP reported smoke had reduced visibility in the area.

By 10:04 p.m., the fire had been extinguished.

Lincoln County remains under significant wildfire threat Wednesday according to the National Weather Service. Low humidity, gusty winds and dry conditions could allow fires to quickly spread and get out of control. Open burning is not only discouraged but it is prohibited under a county wide burn ban.

Mississippi Forestry Commission reports 63 counties across Mississippi are under a burn ban. Lincoln County’s burn ban is in effect until further notice and will be enforced with citations.

People should remain cautious and mindful of the dry conditions. Do not dispose of cigarette butts on the ground. Brush hogging and mowing could spark a fire and should be avoided if possible. Trailer chains should not drag on the roadways as the friction could cause a fire.

NWS Jackson forecasts the dangerous fire conditions to persist through the week.Burn ban conditions and drought are expected to persist. A substantial amount of rainfall is needed and it is no where in the seven or 10 day forecast.

One spark is all it takes to start a wildfire. Nine out of 10 wildfires are caused by humans and are preventable. Only you can prevent wildfires.