Residents advised on burning restrictions during Fall Forest Fire Hazard Season

State fire officials are reminding residents to take precautions to protect their homes and natural areas during Fall Forest Fire Hazard Season, which runs October 1 through December 15.

“During the late fall through early spring, since everything goes dormant, the leaves fall, the grass dies down and all that stuff is technically dry,” said Radcliff Deputy Fire Marshal Tommy Crane. “Yeah, we may have some rain, some snow, but the grasses and a lot of the brush are still technically dry because they’re dormant.”

During Fall Forest Fire Hazard Season, burning is prohibited within 150 feet of woodland or brushland between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. If you plan to burn debris, only burn natural vegetation during evening hours when conditions are less windy, keep fire tools handy, and never leave a fire unattended.

Crane says consider alternatives to burning such as limb removal and leaf pickup services offered by the cities. Always check with your local fire department ahead of any burning.

“Anytime you’re burning, whether it’s in this restricted time or whatever time of year it is, always check to make sure with your local ordinances on what is allowed and what’s not allowed because we want to take care of our neighbors and we want to make sure that we don’t burn down anybody else’s wooded area or anything like that,” Crane said.

More information is available on the Kentucky Division of Forestry’s website.