Kentucky Division of Forestry officials say the spring fire season is well underway with wet conditions for much of 2019 thus far. Still, wildfires remain a significant threat.
Just this month, officials with the Division of Forestry report crews have taken on more than 189 fires. Those fires have damaged more than 1,500 acres. Fire Management Chief Brandon Howard says a relatively wet fall and spring hasn’t snuffed out the threat of forest fires. “In the past two weeks we’ve definitely seen an increase. I’d say we’re on an average pace right now,” said Howard.
Arson continues to be the leading cause of wildfires. Fifty-two percent of fires so far this year have been caused by arson. “Once the leaves start to bud out, the relative humidity, the moisture in the air increases and so our occurrence of fire usually decreases,” noted Howard.
Outdoor burning in or within 150 feet of any woodland or brush land is prohibited, except between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. when humidity levels are typically higher.
