Though forest fires aren’t common in the area or across the state, Kentucky does have open burning laws to suppress fires in woodland and brushland areas. The spring forest fire hazard season began Feb. 15 and runs through April 30. Here are a few things residents should know, including that disposal by burning is illegal in Daviess County.
During the forest fire hazard season, residents should avoid burning anything within 150 feet of a woodland or brushland from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. (The County Burning Ordinance can be found here.)
Disposal by burning is illegal in Daviess County. Burning garbage poses a health risk to both the natural environment and people. Open burning regulations are enforced by the Division for Air Quality. For more information about what can and cannot be burned, visit their web page.
Anyone requesting to burn anything other than leaves and having less than 1 acre of ground is required to obtain a burn permit from the Daviess County Fire Department. Permits are free and may be issued for 2 weeks.
Do not burn too close to any building or area that might endanger the public health and safety. Never burn under any tree or power lines. All fires should be closely monitored and never left unattended.
Fire Inspector/Investigator Keith Hurm recently demonstrated a safe burn at Yellow Creek Park via a Facebook video by Daviess County Fiscal Court.
Hurm said small fires — including those where a resident is just trying to burn some debris — can get out of hand quickly
“Folks go out and light fires all the time and walk away thinking everything is going to be ok, then come to find out later that it was not ok,” Hurm said. “The fire department shows up when they leave it unattended and put their fire out and have lots of questions for them.”
In a November 2020 article about fire seasons in Kentucky, Owensboro Fire Department fire prevention battalion chief Steve Leonard similarly said a small fire can get out of hand very quickly.
“I think the misconception is that it’s not that big a deal to burn off a brush area,” Leonard said at the time. “A small fire in a rural backyard can develop into a 100-acre fire quickly. That occurs fairly often in this area.”
Accidental fires also occur when people leave fires unattended. This occurs when farmers cut down trees and brush and create pile fires that last for days — as well as the “casual” fire in an outdoor pit.
There are occasionally brushland fires within Owensboro, but the majority occur in the greater Daviess County. Both the City and County departments encounter wildland fires, which Leonard said in 2020 are extremely hazardous for the firefighters due to rapid wind directional changes and spreading.
People creating fires of any kind should also keep an extinguishing source nearby. Ultimately, whoever started a fire, whether intentional or not, is responsible for the fire and the sometimes $10,000-plus fines. (Burning illegal materials and violating state air quality regulations can result in fines of up to $25,000 per day, according to the Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet.)
The following are examples a handful of regular items are illegal to burn:
Home and farm
- Animal Bedding
- Hay
- Muck Piles (Horse Manure/Hay)
- Grass Clippings
- Agricultural Plastic
Miscellaneous
- Chemical Containers
- Coated Wire
- Insulation
- Furniture
- Carpeting
- Rubber
- Tires
- All wood building material
Wood materials
- Fence Posts
- Sawdust
- Wood Mulch
- Pallets
- Painted, Stained or Pressure-Treated Wood
Construction
- Construction Debris
- Renovation Debris
- Asbestos Materials
- Shingles
- Drywall
Call 1-502-782-6592 to report suspected illegal burning or to find out more about Kentucky’s open burning regulation.
