Crews working nonstop to put out wildfire in Estill County

People in surrounding counties could smell and see smoke from the fire throughout the day Wednesday

ESTILL COUNTY, Ky. (WTVQ)

UPDATE 11/09/22

People in several counties Wednesday spoke about the smell of smoke and haziness in the sky after wildfires burned hundreds of acres in eastern Kentucky. As a result, burn bans are in effect in Estill and Fayette counties.

Behind the Estill County National Guard Armory, an active fire burned while the Kentucky Department of Forestry works to get it put out. The state says that the fire spans about 270 acres and is about 50% contained.

“We’ve got a fire that has kind of gotten out of control here in Estill County,” said Philip Horsley with the Kentucky Department of Forestry. “We’re doing our best with Division of Forestry personnel and volunteer fire departments and all the fire departments in surrounding counties.”

Around 3 Wednesday afternoon, the Lexington Fire Department left for Ravenna to work the night shift in fighting the wildfire. Crews say they’ve been working almost nonstop since the fire started Tuesday, creating burn lines so the fire doesn’t spread to nearby houses and other buildings.

“We’re trying to pull everything away from the fire, make sure that when the fire does run down the hill that it does hit just green grass or blacktop or a dirt road that we put in. But keeping debris or leaves from around your house is basically what we’re doing to make sure if the fire does cross over our line, it’s not going to take out any structures,” said Horsley. “No evacuation will be needed, everything’s pretty much under control right now. As you see, we’re just going spot by spot finding our hot spots like you see behind us and making sure they just don’t get out of control and into anything they don’t need to be in.”

Crews say the best way to help is to stay out of the way. They say many people are trying to drive on the narrow roads to see the damage, but that’s slowing down crews as they try to work.

Estill County Emergency Management saying the Pitts fire is 100% contained. It burned 635 acres so far. That fire impacted areas in Pitts, Ticky Fork and Betsey Ridge.

The Department of Forestry expects to be fighting the fire in Ravenna all through Wednesday night and isn’t sure when it will be fully extinguished.

“What we’re really hoping for is the next rain which hopefully we get on Friday,” said Horsley.

ORIGINAL STORY

A State of Emergency has been declared for Estill County on Tuesday due to a wildfire.

According to an executive order issued by the Office of the Estill County Judge Executive, the forest fires have impaired and/or prevented the use of roads in the county and threaten to cause damage to infrastructure and private property as well.

The State of Emergency allows the Estill County Emergency Management Agency to provide any assistance needed and enforce laws and regulations like declaring curfews and excluding all nonessential/disruptive personnel from a scene, among others. Click here for the full order.

The burning of forest, grass, crops, woodlands, marshes, leaves or debris, and campfires, bonfires and warming fires are banned. Fireworks are also banned.

As of about six hours ago, the wildfire had burned an estimated 300-500 acres of land in the Pitts and Betsey Ridge areas. Crews are working on protecting properties now and ask you avoid the area.