DeSoto County fire danger is expected to climb starting Monday, the National Weather Service in Memphis said Sunday. Several more dry, sunny days are on the way, with no rain in the forecast. DeSoto County is still not under a burn ban, but the list of Mississippi counties that are has grown to 36, including neighboring Tate County.
In its Sunday forecast discussion, NWS Memphis said elevated fire danger concerns “will arise Monday afternoon through much of the week.” Forecasters asked residents to obey any local burn bans and to dispose of cigarettes and matches properly.
Why DeSoto County Fire Danger Is Rising This Week
High pressure is expected to keep the Mid-South dry all week, with “no precipitation in the forecast for the foreseeable future,” forecasters wrote. Afternoon humidity should fall below 30% across much of the region from Monday on. Fire officials watch that threshold closely because dry air lets grass and leaves catch and spread fire more easily.
The weather service also noted that small “10-hour” fuels such as twigs and dead grass have moisture levels of only 9% to 11%. Winds should stay light, but forecasters expect to issue Rangeland Fire Danger Statements for parts of the Mid-South from Monday through at least the middle of the week.
The dry spell continues a long-running drought. The latest U.S. Drought Monitor, released Oct. 13, places all of DeSoto County in moderate drought or worse, with about 92.5% of the county in severe (D2) drought. That share hasn’t changed in weeks.
The NWS forecast for Southaven calls for:
Sunday night: Clear, low around 48
Monday: Sunny, high near 76
Tuesday: Sunny, high near 79
Wednesday: Sunny, high near 80
Thursday: Sunny, high near 81
DeSoto Has No Burn Ban, but Neighbors Do
The Mississippi Forestry Commission’s official list, last updated Oct. 16, shows 36 counties under burn bans. That’s more than double the 17 counties on the list when we last checked on Oct. 5. DeSoto County isn’t one of them. Nearby counties on the list include:
Tate County: through Oct. 31
Tallahatchie County: through Oct. 31
Lafayette County: through Nov. 6
Lee County: through Nov. 12
Grenada County: through Oct. 19
In Mississippi, a county’s Board of Supervisors normally requests a burn ban and the Forestry Commission approves it. Bans expire at midnight on the end date unless the county extends them. During a ban, the commission prohibits anything with an open flame that produces embers. That includes campfires, bonfires, fire pits, burn barrels, and debris or field burning. Propane and gas grills, gas heaters and charcoal grills are still allowed. Knowingly violating a ban is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of $100 to $500, and the local sheriff’s department enforces it.
Anyone who lives or owns land near the Tate County line should remember that the rules change once you cross into Tate.
Burning Safely Without a Ban
Outdoor burning is still legal in DeSoto County for now, but fire officials and forecasters are urging extra caution this week. Common-sense steps include:
Check the Forestry Commission’s burn ban list before you burn, because counties can be added at any time.
Avoid burning on the driest, breeziest afternoons. Morning or evening is safer.
Keep a water hose, rake and shovel nearby, and never leave a fire unattended.
Make sure fires are completely out, and let charcoal cool fully and soak it with water before throwing it away.
Don’t toss cigarettes from vehicles, and keep vehicles off tall dry grass, where hot exhaust parts can start fires.
Halloween bonfires and fall fire-pit gatherings are popular this time of year. If the dry pattern lasts into late October, DeSoto residents should watch for any change to the county’s burn ban status.
