“We’re not going to have any kind of system capable of bringing rain until possibly mid to late next week.”

Those words came from Nicholas Fenner, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Jackson, on Friday. If only his words were more promising than merely a possibility.

Friday, the city of Vicksburg extended its burn ban within the city limits, while Warren County officials are considering such a move. A burn ban in Warren County has been set to expire Monday.

While such an extension has not been decided, Warren County Emergency Management Director John Elfer said those living in the county should not plan on being able to burn anything anytime soon. A standing, state burn ban also exists and that ban supersedes local bans, or lack of ban.

What had already been dry conditions has only gotten worse in recent days as the dry weather was joined by unseasonably warm weather, with temperatures reaching the mid to high 80s.

The recent update by the U.S. Drought Monitor, released Thursday, showed 60 percent of the state is facing severe drought conditions. This time last year, only 1 percent of the state was facing severe drought conditions. Our neighbors in Alabama have worse conditions, with significant parts of the state seeing extreme drought conditions.

Farmers and ranchers in both states have faced tough decisions, while Alabama has seen creek beds drying up and some areas facing historic dry conditions. The burn bans in Vicksburg and Warren County are nothing to ignore. They are serious business and officials take such orders seriously.

The conditions are dangerously dry and the smallest of fires — whether clearing a small section of brush, or burning trash — can quickly get out of control. As we wait for our prayers for rain to be answered, add to the list our ranchers, our farmers and our firefighters.