Burn restrictions in place as Kentucky fire hazard season begins

Published 5:56 am Friday, October 1, 2021

Kentucky’s fall forest fire hazard season has begun, meaning it is illegal to burn near a woodland or brushland between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m., officials said.

The fall fire season runs Oct. 1 through Dec. 15, the Kentucky Division of Forestry said in a statement. Under state law, no burning can take place within 150 feet of a woodland or brushland until after 6 p.m. Burning in the evening makes it harder for fire to escape because humidity levels are typically higher and winds are generally lower, officials said.

Nearly all wildfires are caused by humans, either through deliberate or accidental means, Division of Forestry Director Brandon Howard said.

“The safety of our communities and the protection of our state’s vast forest resources is our top priority,” Howard said. “But for our state to keep fires to a minimum this fall season, every Kentuckian has to be intentional and responsible.”