000 WWUS84 KJAN 310954 SPSJAN FIRE DANGER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON MS 353 AM CST MON OCT 31 2005 ARZ074-075-LAZ007>009-015-016-023>026-MSZ018-019-025>066-072>074- 311800- ADAMS-ASHLEY-ATTALA-BOLIVAR-CARROLL-CATAHOULA-CHICOT-CHOCTAW- CLAIBORNE-CLARKE-CLAY-CONCORDIA-COPIAH-COVINGTON-EAST CARROLL- FORREST-FRANKLIN LA-FRANKLIN MS-GRENADA-HINDS-HOLMES-HUMPHREYS- ISSAQUENA-JASPER-JEFFERSON-JEFFERSON DAVIS-JONES-KEMPER-LAMAR- LAUDERDALE-LAWRENCE-LEAKE-LEFLORE-LINCOLN-LOWNDES-MADISON LA- MADISON MS-MARION-MONTGOMERY-MOREHOUSE-NESHOBA-NEWTON-NOXUBEE- OKTIBBEHA-RANKIN-RICHLAND-SCOTT-SHARKEY-SIMPSON-SMITH-SUNFLOWER- TENSAS-WARREN-WASHINGTON-WEBSTER-WEST CARROLL-WINSTON-YAZOO- 353 AM CST MON OCT 31 2005 ...HIGH FIRE DANGER CONTINUES ACROSS THE REGION... IT HAS BEEN ALMOST SIX WEEKS SINCE WE HAVE RECEIVED SIGNIFICANT RAINFALL ACROSS THE REGION. HOWEVER THERE WILL BE A CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS FOR MAINLY TONIGHT INTO TUESDAY WITH THE PASSAGE OF A COLD FRONT. RAINFALL AMOUNTS WILL RANGE FROM A HALF TO AROUND ONE INCH WHICH WILL OFFER NO RELIEF TO THE LONG TERM HIGH FIRE DANGER CONDITIONS ACROSS THE REGION. ALTHOUGH AFTERNOON MINIMUM RELATIVE HUMIDITIES AND TWENTY FOOT WINDS ARE NOT EXPECTED TO MEET OR EXCEED CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER THRESHOLDS...HIGH FIRE DANGER WILL CONTINUE FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK. THE MISSISSIPPI FORESTRY COMMISSION HAS CONTINUED BURN BANS FOR PORTIONS OF MAINLY SOUTH AND EAST MISSISSIPPI...GENERALLY ALONG AND EAST OF A LINE FROM BROOKHAVEN TO JACKSON METRO TO MACON. THE FORESTRY COMMISSION ADVISES THAT WIDESPREAD VEGETATIVE DEBRIS THAT REMAINS FROM HURRICANE KATRINA AND HURRICANE RITA HAS CREATED THE POTENTIAL FOR EXTREMELY DANGEROUS WILDFIRE CONDITIONS. WILDFIRES THAT OCCUR IN STORM-DAMAGED AREAS WILL BURN MORE INTENSELY DUE TO THE INCREASED AMOUNT OF DEBRIS ON THE FOREST FLOOR AND LOWER AFTERNOON HUMIDITIES. THE GRASSES HAVE DRIED OUT FROM RECENT MORNING FROSTS. THIS WILL BRING ABOUT THE EXTREME DANGER OF BRUSH FIRES...WHICH COULD RESULT FROM CONTACT FROM ANY SOURCE OF EXTREME HEAT. THIS CAN INCLUDE CIGARETTE BUTTS...EXHAUST SYSTEMS OR ANY OTHER AUTOMOBILE OR TRUCK HOT PART THAT COMES IN CONTACT WITH A GRASS SURFACE. RESIDENTS ARE REMINDED TO REMAIN ALERT TO DEVELOPING WEATHER CONDITIONS THAT COULD LEAD TO THE SPREAD OF WILDFIRES AND LIMIT BURNING EVEN IN AREAS OUTSIDE OF BURN BANS. REMEMBER THAT CARELESS DEBRIS BURNING IS A LEADING CAUSE OF WILDFIRES IN THE REGION. BE SURE TO STAY TUNED FOR LATER STATEMENTS CONCERNING THIS FIRE DANGER POTENTIAL. $$ 17