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NATCHEZ — Natchez and Adams County firefighters have fought several grass fires amid hot, dry conditions in recent weeks, including one from an attempted control burn that spread out of control.

Adams County Sheriff Travis Patten said that the failed control burn happened on private property on Carmel Church Road on Saturday afternoon.

An estimated acre or acre and one-half of grass burned but no structures. The fire was put out around 3 p.m.

Another fire around 38 Upper Kingston Road started late Sunday near the wood line.

Natchez Fire Chief Robert Arrington said he is not sure what started the fire but confirmed no structure was damaged.
“We hadn’t had any rekindles but they have gotten out of control quickly,” Arrington said.

He added another fire Monday near North Natchez Park that started from a fallen power line made the fourth fire the Natchez Fire Department had to extinguish in two weeks. The latest fire was put out quickly without any major damages.

“We’ve had the two over the weekend, one yesterday and one earlier last week,” he said. “The county had asked for a burn ban but the state didn’t grant it so we’re trying to get the word out to caution people that conditions are bad for burning right now. Conditions are dry and windy and primed to burn. If there is a way to avoid burning, we definitely need to do that.”

Adams County Fire Coordinator Darryl Smith told Adams County Board of Supervisors during their regularly scheduled meeting on Monday that he was asking the state forestry commission for a burn ban to be issued.

The Mississippi Forestry Commission has no burn bans issued as of Tuesday.

According to the Mississippi Forestry Commission, the local sheriff’s department enforces burn bans. Anyone who knowingly and willfully violates a burning ban is guilty of a misdemeanor. These persons may receive a fine of not less than $100 and not more than $500.

Patten cautioned the public not to take the county’s warning against burning lightly.

“Half the state of California was on fire because of a burning violation,” he said. “(If a burn ban) is violated, you will be summoned to court and if you get found guilty, you will have to pay. … We need people not to burn because it’s not just their property at risk but everyone’s around them. … Even though there is not a burn ban in effect, we ask people not to burn and if they do to use extra caution.”