For the second time in just eight days a fire deemed as suspicious has destroyed a house in the Glade community.

About 25 volunteer firefighters from the Glade, M&M, and Powers volunteer fire departments responded to the call Wednesday evening. The fire destroyed a house and a mobile home next door, both buildings located behind Mt. Vernon Congregational Methodist. The homes were not occupied.

The fire last week destroyed a house at the corner of Blondie Road and Hwy. 15. That fire is still under investigation.

Neighbors who lived through the woods were quite concerned.

“We had some jittery people through the woods,” Jones County Fire Council Public Relations Officer Lance Chancellor said.

Chancellor said investigators with the Jones County Sheriff’s Department and the Mississippi Fire Marshall’s office will be on hand Thursday. Although both homes were a total loss — the only thing remaining on the mobile home was the actual trailer portion and some pipes sticking up — Chancellor said investigators will more than likely be able to find the cause.

“They are very good at what they do. They have the equipment that can help them meet that challenge,” he said. “They have the tools necessary to determine the cause of this.”

Chancellor also offered warnings of caution to area residents, urging them to avoid burning until the area receives significant rainfall. Volunteers across Jones County, and the entire East Mississippi region, have fought numerous wildfires that have destroyed hundreds of acres and several structures over the past few days. Chancellor said the Sheriff Alex Hodge and the Mississippi Forestry Commission have each promised tough action against people who set wildfires.

“The Jones County Sheriff’s Department and the forestry commission are aggressively going to pursue any of these fires. They made that absolutely clear,” Chancellor said.

The wildfires endanger not only property, but also people trying to help. A man transported to South Central Regional Medical Center while responding to a wildfire off Three Mile Road Tuesday has been transferred to Forrest General Hospital in extremely serious condition, Chancellor said. The man suffered a heart attack and smoke inhalation.