Eling said an escaped campfire in the Indian Creek area of the Red River Gorge was recently discovered and put out before it could do much damage.
Fall fire season doesn’t officially begin until October 1, but the lack of rain the last few weeks in central and eastern Kentucky has increased the chances of an early arrival. That’s according to Tim Eling, a public affairs staff officer for the U.S. Forestry Division in Winchester.
“Fire season’s kind of getting ready to start, even though historically it’s around October 1. The weather dictates you know, when it definitely gets there. And I think we're there.”
Eling said 98 percent of wildfires are caused by humans – and campfires are the number one cause. He said campers who build fires need to be certain they’re out before they pack up and leave.
“You pour a little bit of water on your ashes, you get in a stick and you stir it up, it pour a little water on it, stir it up. And you just kind of feel it with the back of your hand just gently, just to make sure that it's cool to the touch.”
Eling said an escaped campfire in the Indian Creek area of the Red River Gorge was recently discovered and put out before it could do much damage.
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