Weekend Heat & Fire Dangers

The weekend promises to be very hot and dry across Mississippi, and officials are urging caution when outdoors and celebrating the Fourth of July holiday with fireworks.

First, information regarding high heat indices through the weekend:

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON MS
446 AM CDT THU JUN 28 2012

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI...
NORTHEAST LOUISIANA...AND EXTREME SOUTHEAST ARKANSAS.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

INCREASING HEAT WILL BE EVIDENT TODAY WITH HIGHS ACROSS THE REGION
MAINLY EXPECTED TO RANGE FROM 98 TO 101 DEGREES IN THE AFTERNOON WITH
HEAT INDEXES FROM 100 TO 104. ALTHOUGH HEAT ADVISORIES ARE NOT
REQUIRED AT THIS POINT...THOSE PLANNING ON A GREAT DEAL OF OUTDOOR
ACTIVITY SHOULD TAKE TRY TO TAKE FREQUENT BREAKS AND DRINK PLENTY OF
NON-ALCOHOLIC FLUIDS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY

HOT DAYS WITH GRADUALLY INCREASING HUMIDITY WILL PERSIST FRIDAY
THROUGH AT LEAST THIS WEEKEND. TEMPERATURES WILL LIKELY TOP OUT NEAR
OR A LITTLE ABOVE 100 DEGREES IN MANY LOCATIONS OVER THIS PERIOD.
MAXIMUM HEAT INDEX VALUES WILL RANGE FROM 102 TO 107 DEGREES IN THE
MIDDAY TO AFTERNOON HOURS WITH LOW TEMPERATURES MAINLY IN THE LOWER
70S ONLY PROVIDING A LITTLE LATE NIGHT RESPITE FROM THE PERVASIVE
HEAT. HEAT ADVISORIES COULD BE REQUIRED IN PORTIONS OF THE ARKLAMISS
BY FRIDAY...LASTING THROUGH THE WEEKEND.

Finally, information regarding fire dangers in Mississippi and urging caution when using fireworks:

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON MS
129 PM CDT THU JUN 28 2012

...HIGH FIRE DANGER CONDITIONS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE THROUGH 
THE WEEKEND AND INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK...

ACCORDING TO AREA FORESTRY COMMISSIONS AND THE US FOREST SERVICE, 
RECENT DRY CONDITIONS HAVE MADE OUTDOOR BURNING INCREASINGLY 
HAZARDOUS. IN SOME LOCATIONS...CONDITIONS ARE SUCH THAT A SPARK FROM
EQUIPMENT, THE HEAT FROM A CATALYTIC CONVERTER, OR ANY HEAT SOURCE
COULD START A GRASS OR BRUSH FIRE. LOCAL BURN BANS HAVE BEEN
INCREASING ACROSS ARKANSAS...LOUISIANA...AND MISSISSIPPI.

FIRES PLACE AREA FORESTRY COMMISSIONS, FIRE DEPARTMENTS, AND OTHER 
FIRE CONTROL AGENCIES IN LIFE THREATENING SITUATIONS, AND CAN 
ENDANGER COMMUNITIES. PLEASE USE CAUTION WITH FIREWORKS AS WE GO
INTO INDEPENDENCE DAY WEEK...AND HELP PREVENT FOREST AND GRASS FIRES.
THE DRY WEATHER IS EXPECTED TO LAST THROUGH THE WEEKEND AND INTO
EARLY NEXT WEEK...AND MORE BURN BANS ARE ANTICIPATED.

AREA FORESTRY COMMISSIONS AND THE US FOREST SERVICE URGE THE PUBLIC
TO COMPLY WITH ANY BURN BANS AND REFRAIN FROM OUTDOOR BURNING. IN
AREAS NOT UNDER BURN BANS...BE ESPECIALLY CAUTIOUS IF YOU MUST
BURN...AND BE ALERT FOR BURN BAN ISSUANCES. WHEN BARBECUING, TAKE THE
UTMOST CARE. DO NOT DUMP ASHES UNLESS YOU ARE CERTAIN THEY ARE
COMPLETELY OUT. LIVE COALS CAN BURN FOR AS LONG AS ONE OR TWO DAYS
AFTER BEING USED.

You can research the latest information regarding outdoor fire safety and burn bans by visiting the Mississippi Forestry Commission website.