(LEX 18) — Every spring, temperatures climb and humidity drops across the state, triggering the annual burn ban that fire officials say is crucial for preventing devastating wildfires.
Major Lisa Johnson with the Clay City Fire Department emphasizes that the restriction isn't about control. It's about protecting entire communities from potential disaster.
"One spark can devastate a whole town or your whole community," Johnson said.
The ban comes into effect when the ground becomes particularly vulnerable to ignition. Foliage dries out significantly during this season, creating dry conditions throughout the region.
"Your foliage is dormant right now, and it's very dry. Once it dries, it's just, you can hear it crackling under your feet. And this is just giving everybody a little protection and warning because it's not an advisory, it's a state law," Johnson said.
Fire officials stress that even seemingly harmless activities can quickly spiral out of control. Johnson recalls a recent incident that demonstrates just how fast fires can spread.
"A couple of years ago, I just won't forget this, is someone burned a refrigerator box. One little flake did almost 300 acres of forestry," Johnson said.
The dead grass covering much of the landscape creates the perfect fuel for fires. One stray ember landing on dried vegetation can ignite before anyone realizes what's happening.
"You have dead grass right there. You're burning. One little spark hits that dead grass, it goes up before you know it. It happens continuously," Johnson said.
The burn ban protects more than just the person conducting the burn. Fire officials remind residents that flames don't respect property lines.
"When they say it's my land, my property, not when it gets out of control and it's on somebody else's land, and that's what they look at, not your property, surrounding properties," Johnson said.
Residents unsure about what activities are permitted during the burn ban are encouraged to contact their local fire department for guidance.
"Call your local fire department, and we do get a lot of people that call us and we appreciate that so much because these are concerned citizens, and I think that's awesome. When they call and say, hey, can I burn this? No, you can't, because people don't realize all you have to do is come to the fire department. We have pamphlets we can give you, and we can talk to you about it," Johnson said.
