At the request and advice of the Mississippi Forestry Commission, Gov. Phil Bryant has signed a proclamation initiating a statewide burn ban. The ban is effective immediately and remains in force until lifted.

The Mississippi Forestry Commission will continue to monitor conditions, and public updates on the burn ban will be issued as needed. The public is asked to refrain from outdoor burning until further notice.

Much of the state is experiencing significant drought conditions, and more than half of Mississippi counties, including Lincoln, have already issued bans in response to increasingly hazardous conditions.

The Mississippi Forestry Commission estimates that it has responded to more than 430 wildfires since Oct. 1. Those fires have consumed more than 7,000 acres and threatened hundreds of homes and buildings, destroying 23.

Lincoln County Civil Defense Director Clifford Galey said an area close to the Lincoln County line in Copiah County lost 500 acres Sunday night.

“We’ve been very lucky since Friday we’ve probably lost 75-100 acres,” he said Monday. “Our surrounding counties have lost well over 1,000 acres, and it seems that people still don’t quite understand that they can’t burn the leaves in their yard,” he said.

Any person who knowingly and willfully violates a burning ban is guilty of a misdemeanor and may be fined not less than $100 and no more than $500. For any questions about burn bans check www.mfc.ms.gov/burn-bans.php.

To report a wildfire, dial 911 or contact the Mississippi Forestry Commission Central Dispatch at 1-888-823-3473.