There have been very few rain events the last three months. That has led to an increased threat for wildfires.
Between the limited rain over the last couple of months and freshly fallen leaves, fires can spread quickly if a spark ignites.
Given the dry ground and low relative humidity, any flame that gets out of control can easily spread into a wildfire in a matter of a few minutes. That’s why many Kentucky counties now have burn bans in place. The highest concentration of them is in the woodland parts of southeast Kentucky.
According to the fire weather and avalanche center, there are five active wildfires burning in eastern and southeast Kentucky. The largest fire is just a few miles east of Evarts.
That is along the Virginia border, where 600 acres are burning. 162 acres are currently burning 12 miles to the west of Hazard. Several fires, however, have been contained.
The rainfall departure since the beginning of September shows the substantial deficit Kentucky is still in. The good news is, some rain is moving in on Friday and again early next week, which will help the firefighters tremendously.
Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.