(LONDON), Ky. (LEX 18) — Fire officials in Laurel County say they are joining a growing list of communities and enacting a county-wide burn ban. The London City Fire Department says the amount of calls they've received for brush fires the past week became concerning. So, they decided to do something about it.
Like most in the Commonwealth, it's been a few weeks since Laurel County has had any significant rainfall.
"I'm sure you all noticed coming down I-75 how brown the grass is. And like I said, it's gotten worse, it's gotten where it's just way to dangerous to burn right now," Lt. Dylan Turner, with the London City Fire Department said.
The London City Fire Department says they responded to so many brush fire calls in the past 72 hours, they decided to prohibit campfires, bonfires or burning debris. Under the burn ban, grilling is the only fire related activity permitted and even that comes with a warning.
"We just ask that they be really, really cautious of where they're grilling. And when you're doing grilling, go inside and turn that grill off as quickly as possible and kind of keep an eye on things," Lt. Turner said.
The Fire Department wants to remind you, don't even set a controlled fired in these weather conditions. "Now that it's dry, you've got to get on it quick or we'll have a repeat of Gatlinburg or Eastern Kentucky, if you will. It will be that quick with as dry as it is," Lt. Turner said.
And it'll take at least a couple inches of rain to life the ban, which isn't going to happen anytime soon.
