Conditions throughout the Tri-state have firefighters on alert for outdoor brush and field fires and some counties taking action.
With farmers out harvesting their crops, dry leaves littering the ground, and sparse rainfall, burn bans are starting to come into effect throughout the Tri-state.
Union and Henderson counties in Kentucky and Daviess and Knox counties in Indiana have gone as far as declaring burn bans, and the fall season is a major contributor to the fire concerns.
Chief Nick Medler of the Princeton Fire Territory told 44News ”vegetation and such has dried out. It’s obviously fall, so the leaves are dry and falling on top of that.”
While burn ban regulations differ from county to county, most don’t allow any outdoor fires that aren’t confined to charcoal grills or patio fire pits. If using either a fire pit or grill, be wary of any wind that could carry hot ash onto dry grass or leaves.
In the midst of harvest and leaf-cleanup season, a lesser known cause of brush and field fires is from the heat created by machines likes harvesters, lawnmowers, and mulchers.
”One thing I know we’ve seen in the past would be hot exhaust on machinery has caused fires,” Chief Medler said. “Be mindful of making sure you’re not putting a hot lawnmower back in a building.”
Gibson County firefighters say they have only responded to a few lawnmower and field fires recently, and they urge the public to use safe burning practices to keep incidents down.
The violation of a burn ban can set you back hundreds of dollars in fines, so make sure to read up on your county’s regulations.
Dry conditions have almost the entire Tri-state at an elevated fire risk. Even for counties not under burn bans, firefighters recommend erring on the side of caution and acting as if a burn ban is in effect.
