A wildfire has consumed up to 500 acres in Estill County.
Estill County Emergency Management estimates, as of Tuesday morning, the fire had burned between 300 and 500 acres of land. Fire crews are concentrating on protecting property, as the Kentucky Department of “Forestry is providing manpower and equipment to help try and contain the fire.”
In addition to ground personnel battling the blaze, helicopters have dropped water on the fire. Estill Co. officials said late Tuesday morning that approximately 40 percent of the fire was contained.
Estill Co. Judge-Executive Donnie Watson on Tuesday declared a state of emergency in the county and issued a total burn ban as drought conditions, low humidity and high winds plague the area.
The fire began on Monday in the Pitts Road and Betsey Ridge area of the county, about five miles east of Irvine.
The fire, officials said, was started by a discarded cigarette.
Elevated fire danger in Grayson County
Grayson County remains under an elevated risk of fire danger on Wednesday as “warm temperatures and very dry ground fuels will result in an increased risk for fire danger,” according to the National Weather Service.
The elevated risk of fire alert is in effect until 5:00 p.m. Wednesday. Outdoor burning is not recommended. A daytime burn ban (no burning between 6:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.) is in effect for all of Kentucky until December 15.
The high temperature Wednesday is forecast to reach 76 degrees.
Large fire on Ft. Knox
Eight fire departments from Ft. Knox, Mt. Washington, Shepherdsville, Zoneton, Southeast Bullitt, and Okolona are battling a large blaze on Ft. Knox: The fire, which is entirely on Ft. Knox property, is near the Bullitt/Jefferson County line.
Fire breaks have been constructed as the blaze is threatening a structure in a training area of the military base.
Complicating the firefighting effort are unexploded ordinances on the property, including tank shells and bullets.
It’s unclear how the fire began.
(Photo: Wildfire in Estill Co., courtesy of Estill Co. Emergency Management)
By Ken Howlett, News Director
Contact Ken at ken@k105.com
