For the next two and a half months, the Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet Division of Forestry is restricting where and when people can burn leaves and other items.
Wednesday, October 1, marked the beginning of the Fall Forest Fire Hazard Season, which runs until December 15. That means no burning within 150 feet of woodland and between the hours of 6 a.m. and 6 p.m.
Environmental Scientist Consultant Steve Kull said his division has already recorded over 500 fires this year, making forest fire awareness and prevention that much more important.
Central Kentucky remains eight inches above average for rainfall this time of year after a wet first half of 2025. However, the state only recorded two to four inches of rain last week; that os more than what fell in the prior 10 weeks combined.
Kull said fires spread through heat, air, and fuel. He defined “fuel” as the environment’s dryness and its ability to easily catch fire.
Forest fire season is a concern for rural communities and fire crews in bigger cities such as Lexington.
District Fire Chief Jon Ott said a fire can spread from burning a small brush pile to burning acres quickly, which can heavily tax a department’s resources.
Even though the state’s forestry division enforces burning restrictions during this time frame, judge-executives can issue burn bans of their own on top of that.
Ott said low humidity and high temperature are prime times for wildfires, so generally when you see extended periods of that, municipalities will issue a burn ban.
While Kull hopes it doesn’t come to it, the Division of Forestry has a mutual aid agreement with other states and federal agencies to bring in extra firefighting equipment in case a burn gets out of hand.
Source: WBKO
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