420 fires burned about 52,000 acres last fall

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — The Kentucky Division of Forestry is preparing for fall wildfire season. Each year, there are about 1,500 wildfires in the state, based on a 10-year average.

State officials say most of the fires are preventable. Last fall, there were 420 fires that burned about 52,000 acres. Most of the fires started in November.

The Division of Forestry says in a release it is against the law to do any open burning within 150 feet of any woodland or brushland between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. during the fall and spring forest fire hazard seasons. Those seasons run from Oct. 1 to Dec. 15 and Feb. 15 to April 30.

Last fire season, 70 people were given citations for illegal burning and 14 were arrested and charged with setting fires.

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