NATCHEZ — Following a holiday weekend with multiple close calls, the Adams County Board of Supervisors placed Adams County under a burn ban.

The ban came at the recommendation of County Fire Coordinator Darryl Smith, who said the county has recently had a problem with trash fires getting out of control.

“We keep asking people to be careful, but folks are raking up leaves, setting them on fire, and they are getting out of hand,” Smith said.

The area has gotten too little rain and winds have been too high in recent weeks, making fields of grass into a tinderbox ready to burn, Smith said.

“Even with the last rain, it is still dry, and with the wind blowing 15 mph, it catches pretty fast,” he said. “People can think they are burning away from their house, but the wind can shift and it blows toward their neighbors.”

According to the Mississippi Forestry Commission, one other county — Wayne County — is under a burn ban. The Wayne County ban is set to expire Wednesday.

Adams County’s ban was passed with the qualifier that Supervisors’ President Darryl Grennell could lift the ban after consulting with Smith as needed.

Over the holiday weekend, two grass fires required a serious response from county fire crews, Smith said.

A Saturday fire on Alexander Road spread across six acres before it was contained and extinguished, while a Friday grass fire on Liberty Road came dangerously close to burning two structures.

Adams County Sheriff’s Office Col. Debbie Gee said residents should call their local fire station to advise them if a fire is going to be burned and make sure it is safe to burn.

“You can be held liable for burning your neighbor’s property down,” Gee said.