(AP) Kentucky forestry officials say the fall forest fire hazard season is over, which ends the restriction of waiting until 6 p.m. to do outdoor burning.
The forestry officials continue to urge caution when conducting any outdoor burning.
Leah MacSwords, director of the Kentucky Division of Forestry, says this has been one of the lowest years for reported wildfires. MacSwords says rains last spring and in the fall kept the fire dangers low.
Since January, officials say KDF firefighters responded to 735 fires across the state that burned 18,583 acres. The division’s figures do not include wildfires controlled by local fire departments.
MacSwords says arson continues to be the leading cause of wildfires in Kentucky, but many regions of the state had an increase in fires caused by people burning carelessly.