Fire departments in Pearl River County responded to two brush fires over the weekend that damaged nearby properties.
On Oct. 21 at 2:43 p.m., the Southeast Volunteer Fire Department responded to a grass fire that had gotten out of control at 49 Holliday Road, Pearl River County Fire Marshall Albert Lee said.
When volunteers with the department arrived, the fire had damaged an abandoned home and heavily damaged a mobile home stored on the property, Lee said.
The fire also burned about five acres of woods, Lee said.
In a separate incident, the North Central Volunteer Fire Department responded to a brush fire on Oct. 22 at 4:56 p.m. at 904 Oak Hill Road, Lee said.
When firefighters arrived, the people on scene had already used a garden hose to extinguish part of the fire threatening the structure, Lee said.
Both properties were extinguished soon after firefighters arrived, he said.
As the weather becomes increasingly dry during the winter months, Lee suggests using extreme caution and check the weather before starting an indoor or outdoor fire.
Before doing so, it is important to check wind direction and speed, keep a fire at least 50 feet away from any building and have a garden hose or buckets of water handy, Lee said.
He also said flammable liquids such as gasoline should never be used to start a fire.
When using an indoor fireplace, homeowners should make sure combustibles are far from the flames, especially plastic beanbag chairs, Lee said.
He also suggested having chimneys cleaned and to turn on a home’s heating system when the weather begins to cool to burn off the dust, Lee said.
When turning the home’s heater on for the first time, open the windows and doors to avoid possible smoke buildup in the home, Lee said.
If a county resident thinks they see a fire, Lee suggested the resident ensure that the flames and smoke are not coming from someone simply burning leaves or debris before calling 911.