Night Fire: Forestry Crews Battled 3 Wildfires in Tishomingo County, Including 2-Acre Area 13 Blaze

Fighting wildfires takes dedication around the clock — day and night, 24/7. A striking nighttime photo released by the Mississippi Forestry Commission captures a bulldozer working along the fireline during the Area 13 Wildfire on September 29, as flames lit up the woods of northwest Tishomingo County.

Area Forester Drew Fletcher captured the photo while he and fellow wildland firefighters kept watch through the night — battling not just the 2-acre Area 13 fire, but two other fires that same night.

The image is a dramatic reminder of what forestry crews face as dry conditions persist across northeast Mississippi, and of why the commission is urging the public to help prevent fires before they start.

Burn Bans Ring the Area

As we reported last month, drought has pushed Alcorn County into severe drought, with Prentiss and Tishomingo counties also in drought conditions. Sixteen Mississippi counties were under burn bans as of the Forestry Commission’s latest list, most in the northern half of the state — including Tippah County (Sept. 18 through Oct. 18), Itawamba County (Sept. 23 through Oct. 21), Lee County (Sept. 8 through Oct. 8), Benton County (Sept. 8 through Oct. 8), and Monroe County (Sept. 17 through Oct. 5).

Alcorn, Prentiss, and Tishomingo counties were not on the burn ban list at that time — but conditions can change quickly, and bans are typically requested by a county’s board of supervisors and approved by the Forestry Commission. Where a ban is in place, anything with an open flame that produces an ember is prohibited, and violators can face a misdemeanor charge and fines of $100 to $500.

What You Can Do

The Forestry Commission asks everyone to do their part to keep Mississippi’s forests safe:

• Always check local burn restrictions before any outdoor burning — new counties are added regularly.
• Never leave a fire unattended.
• Hold off on burning leaves, brush, or trash until the area gets meaningful rain.
• Avoid burning on windy days, and be careful with equipment that can throw sparks in dry grass.

October is the Forestry Commission’s fall wildfire preparedness month — and with no meaningful rain in the near-term forecast, the risk isn’t going away soon.

Photo by Mississippi Forestry Commission Area Forester Drew Fletcher.