The Mississippi Prescribed Fire Council is back in action, and this time with a dedicated leader at the helm. Lance Middleton, recently named the state’s first Prescribed Fire Coordinator, is spearheading a renewed statewide effort to promote the safe and effective use of prescribed fires, a vital tool in reducing wildfire risk and managing Mississippi’s natural landscapes.
Middleton, who works with The Nature Conservancy, spoke recently about the importance of prescribed fire and how landowners in Newton County can get involved.
“Anyone interested in prescribed burning can reach out to me directly at lance.middleton@tnc.org,” Middleton said. “I’ll help connect them with the right people, whether it’s the Mississippi Forestry Commission, their local Natural Resource Conservation Service office or private vendors who are certified to conduct prescribed burns.”
Prescribed fires, also known as controlled burns, are carefully planned and managed fires used to improve forest health, control invasive vegetation and reduce hazardous fuel loads that can lead to catastrophic wildfires. However, Middleton emphasized that these fires require more than just lighting a match.
“In Mississippi, landowners do have the legal right to burn on their own land,” he said. “But managing smoke is just as critical as managing fire. The liability around smoke drifting into highways, schools, poultry farms or churches is significant.”
Middleton encourages landowners to work with trained professionals and seek permits through the Mississippi Forestry Commission. He also highlighted training programs like the Prescribed Burn Manager course, which teaches smoke screening and fire safety techniques.
One of the most important parts of conducting a prescribed fire is communication with agencies and the community.
“I always make sure to call the sheriff’s office, the 911 coordinator and any local volunteer fire departments,” Middleton said. “If there are elderly neighbors or people on oxygen nearby, I try to notify them too. It’s just about being a good neighbor.”
The council’s efforts also include a soon-to-launch online tool that will allow residents to click on their county and find local vendors and forestry professionals who offer prescribed fire services and related land management support.
The revitalized Prescribed Fire Council brings together 11 state, federal and local agencies, including the Mississippi Forestry Commission, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Mississippi State University Extension and others. With support from a National Fish and Wildlife Foundation “America the Beautiful” grant, the council aims to expand prescribed fire education and accessibility across all 82 counties in the state.
“Especially in places like Newton County, where dead pine trees create a lot of ground fuel, prescribed fire is the best way to prevent the kind of wildfires we’ve seen in other parts of the country,” Middleton said. “My goal is to make prescribed fire a more common, safe and community-supported practice in Mississippi.”
For more information or to get involved, contact Lance Middleton at lance.middleton@tnc.org
