Wildland fires in southeastern Kentucky forests involving thousands of acres are keeping firefighters busy this week. The situation is complicated by the fact that inadequate rainfall is expected to help douse the fires.
State Division of Forestry Assistant Fire Chief Mike Harp says crews are working about twice as many fires compared to this time last year. Woodland fires in sections of Pine Mountain and Letcher County exceed 1000 acres.
Harp says a late season for trees dropping leaves is complicating matters, “Those leaves go across our control lines and also provide new fuel for the fire to reignite in areas it’s already burned due to tree stumps and large branches that are continuing to burn for several days.”
Harp says fortunately Kentucky forest fires tend to move along the ground, allowing for time to protect most structures. But, arson is a serious problem. Of the 21 new fires reported Tuesday, Harp says investigators believe 17 were purposely set.?
