JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) – Governor Tate Reeves (R-Miss.) lifted the partial statewide burn ban, effective November 16, 2023.

Leaders with the Mississippi Forestry Commission said the recent rain in parts of the state has decreased the risk of wildfires.

The partial statewide burn ban was put into place due to the severe drought this year.

From August 1 to November 14, MFC crews responded to 1,506 wildfire calls that burned 21,919 acres throughout the state. They were able to help save more than 2,679 structures from damage or destruction.

Despite the ban lift, fire officials are still urging caution when you burn outdoors.

“Any time we do any outdoor burning, we ask that you be very cautious, even knowing that the burn ban has been lifted, just to be extremely cautious. Don’t burn on windy days. Make sure that you have a water source there if you are going to do any outdoor burning because it only takes one spark to start a large wildfire, and the fires can get away very quickly and very radically, even in normal conditions,” explained Kevin Craft, public information officer for the MFC.

There are 27 counties that will remain under burn bans, enacted by the respective Board of Supervisors.