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Environmental and Public Protection Cabinet
Spring forest fire hazard season begins Feb. 15
FRANKFORT, Ky. (Feb. 14, 2006) - Spring forest fire hazard season begins Wednesday, Feb. 15, and runs through April 30. During this time, outdoor burning within 150 feet of a woodland or brush land is illegal from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.
Dry conditions in several states, especially California, Texas and Arkansas, have exacerbated wildfires. Kentucky, in contrast, has had plentiful rain and snow, but a relatively brief run of dry weather can turn forests into tinderboxes. Then there is the arson factor - the leading cause of wildland fires in Kentucky.
"Many people think that forest fires are caused by lightning or by careless campers," said Leah MacSwords, director of the Kentucky Division of Forestry and Kentucky state forester. "While that may be true in the western United States, it isn’t true in Kentucky."
The fall forest fire season was a busy time for the division. Dry conditions created higher than normal fire danger levels in many areas. For the year, some 1,710 fires burned more than 51,580 acres. Sixty percent of fires were arson. Since Jan. 1, more than 2,000 acres have been burned in 146 fires.
MacSwords said the Division of Forestry needs the public’s help in stopping wildland arson. For information about wildland arson, contact the Target Arson Hotline at 1-800-27-ARSON, any local law enforcement office or the division. Target Arson Hotline callers can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a cash reward if the information leads to an arrest and indictment.
Safety precautions should be taken and weather conditions considered before any outdoor burning. Check with your local fire department, the Kentucky Division for Air Quality and the Kentucky Division of Waste Management to ensure compliance with local and other state outdoor-burning regulations.
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