Reservoir residents on the Rankin County side of the lake should keep the backyard fire pit cold and hold off on burning leaves or limbs. In an update following the recent rain, Rankin County Emergency Management Director Brian Grantham said the county’s burn ban remains in effect until further notice.
“We know the recent rain was welcome, but it was light, and we are still behind on rainfall,” Grantham wrote in a message to residents. “With sun and wind, leaves, grass, and brush can dry out again quickly.”
When county officials announced the ban on October 15, Rankin County had received just 0.78 inches of rain in the preceding 30 days, roughly 35 percent of what it normally receives during that stretch. The county’s latest update cautions that even where the ground looks damp, the brush underneath can still be dry.
Grantham asked residents to continue holding off on all outdoor burning and to report smoke or fire when they see it. “Thank you for helping keep our neighborhoods safe,” he wrote. “If you see smoke or fire, call 911.”
