Despite Kentucky being under a daytime burn ban, on Tuesday afternoon the Leitchfield Fire Department battled its fourth out of control “controlled burn” over the last few days, LFD Chief Tim Duvall said, this time on Bloomington Road.
Tuesday afternoon at approximately 2:00, Leitchfield firefighters were dispatched to the 3700 block of Bloomington Road on the report of an “controlled burn” gone bad. Upon arriving, firefighters found the blaze only feet from a residence, as the fire also burned out of control on a hillside above the home.
It took LFD about 10 minutes to bring the fire under control, saving the structure, but firefighters continued to battle the fire for another half-hour.
As of February 15, Kentucky has been under a burn ban, with burning anything outdoors between 6:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. prohibited.
Additionally, during a burn ban, it is illegal to burn anything within 150 feet of any woodland or brushland during the specified hours. The penalty for violating a burn ban is a $500 fine.
Furthermore, according to the Kentucky Division of Forestry (KDF), most materials are illegal to burn outdoors because they emit harmful pollutants. Plastics, food scraps, treated or painted wood, tires, and most household trash items are illegal to dispose of by burning, according to the KDF.
Violating the state’s air quality regulations by burning such materials could result in a fine of up to $25,000.
The burn ban ends April 30.
By Ken Howlett, News Director
Contact Ken at ken@k105.com
