CENTER — A 70 to 100 acre blaze in Lawerence County has yet to be contained. The Wildfire is burning close to the Lincoln County line south of US84 and west of Trace Road in a pine plantation.

Mississippi Forestry Commission, local sheriff offices and volunteer fire departments are on scene fighting the fire. Brookhaven-Lincoln County Emergency Management Agency Director Chris Reid said the fire had not been contained as of 3:30 p.m. Monday afternoon.

NASA’s Fire Information for Resource Management System first detected a fire at 11:11 a.m. The hot spot has grown to 224 acres according to the FIRMS system. A secondary hotspot is located about a quarter of a mile to the west and is about 43 acres in size.

Video published by the Mississippi Forestry Commission of the fire showed scorched crowns of pine trees and a line of fire and smoke.

Lincoln and Lawerence Counties continue to be under a burn ban until further notice along with 43 other counties in Mississippi. Dry, windy and low humidity conditions only increase the fire danger in the area.

US Drought Monitor have placed Lincoln and Lawrence Counties in an extreme drought category. It would take a substantial amount of rain to lift the current burn bans. Remember nine out of 10 wildfires is caused by human error so please be careful and heed burn bans.