As Jones County Fire Coordinator Dan McKenna looked over the latest United States Drought Monitor, a frown came over his face.

“All of Jones County is now listed as being in a ‘severe’ drought and we’re bordering on an ‘extreme’ drought,” noted McKenna. “With a 23-inch rainfall deficit since January of 2006 and no appreciable rainfall in site, we’re primed for rapid fire spread in our bone dry forests and grasslands.”

The U.S. Drought Monitor was issued May 29th and the next update could well put Jones County in the “extreme” drought category.

McKenna added, “While Jones County is not under a burn ban at this time, we are urging residents to use extreme caution when doing any burning. Be especially cautious if burning debris piles, dumping out hot coals from charcoal grills or any activity where fire is utilized. If a fire gets out of control, please call 911 immediately and our Emergency Operations Center dispatchers will get our volunteer fire departments headed your way. This is a dangerous situation with no immediate end in sight so please be careful.”

Rainfall departures from normal as reported by the National Weather Service:

Hattiesburg:

May ... -1.20

March-May ... -5.97

Year to date ... -9.91

Since January 2006 ...-18.85

Columbia:

May ... -1.86