Burn restrictions have been imposed across Kentucky with beginning of the fall wildfire season.
State law restricts open burning within 150 feet of any woodland or brushland between the hours of 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. during the fall wildfire hazard season, which runs from October 1 to December 15.
Division of Forestry officials say by restricting burning until after 6 p.m., winds are typically lower and the humidity is higher, making outdoor fires more manageable and less likely to become wildfires.
A news release says wildfires in Kentucky threaten damage to homes, private property, trees and landscapes. More importantly, they place lives at risk, including those of firefighters. The vast majority of Kentucky’s wildfires are preventable, the result of arson and careless open-burning.
Arson continues to be the leading cause of wildfires in Kentucky, and will again be a focus of the division. The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources officers will once again be assisting the division by investigating arson-caused wildfires.
If you are going to conduct a controlled burn during the allowed hours, it’s also important to contact your county dispatch center so they will be aware in the event someone else reports it as a wildfire.