Rankin County supervisors impose 30-day burn ban after dozens of wildfires

Rankin County supervisors voted March 2 to impose a 30‑day countywide burn ban after the county’s fire coordinator said crews responded to roughly 35 wildland and brush fires over the previous two weeks.

“We had 35 over the past two weeks. So, I'm coming to y'all this morning to request putting us under a burn ban for at least the next 30 days,” said Brett Ishy, introduced at the meeting as the county’s fire coordinator. The board added the ban to the agenda by motion and then approved the 30‑day measure by voice vote.

The ban as described at the meeting includes exemptions for certified fire managers and county services. Board members and staff discussed enforcement options: if someone continues to burn in violation of the ban, staff said crews could extinguish the fire and, if necessary, involve the Rankin County Sheriff's Department to enforce compliance.

Board members agreed to revisit the restriction at the board’s March 16 meeting and to lift it early should weather conditions improve. “If in the next 30 days we start getting rainfall, then we...just let it expire. Or we can come back in 30 days and address this issue again and extend it for another 30,” a supervisor said during discussion.

The ban was enacted by motion and carried; no roll‑call tally was recorded in the meeting transcript. The county said it will issue a press release and publish the ban on county channels; residents were urged to follow official guidance until the board reviews the matter on March 16.