State Continues to Support Wildfire Fighting Effort Throughout Kentucky

NEWS RELEASE

FRANKFORT, Ky: (Nov. 14, 2016) – Several agencies across the Commonwealth continue to battle the wildfires in southeastern Kentucky. Officials estimate that approximately 400 personnel from various agencies have been in the field assisting in the effort since the emergency began. The State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) continues to be activated.

As of Monday, approximately 40 fires were burning or being managed. The Kentucky Division of Forestry (KDF) is battling 24 fires, with approximately 24,540 acres burning. The U.S. Forestry Service also is battling 16 fires on 800 acres in the Daniel Boone National Forest.

To date, there have been 245 fires, with approximately 40,000 acres burned. Seventy five counties have issued burn bans. Of the more than 200 fires fought since late October, approximately 75 percent have been judged to be arson. People who set fires put lives and property at risk. Arsonists will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Burn bans can be found on KDF’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/Kentucky-Division-of-Forestry-261039753930985/?fref=ts .

The Kentucky National Guard (KYNG) is providing six helicopters for air assets in southeastern Kentucky today. As of this morning, KYNG has dropped 1,833 buckets of water containing approximately 1,099,800 gallons of water.

The American Red Cross continues to provide meals for the firefighters and has six shelters on standby if needed.

For additional information and resources, please go to www.kyem.ky.gov , where you can follow KYEM on Twitter and like us on Facebook.

When posting to social media regarding the wildfires, please use #KyWildfires.

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