Brush Fires On The Rise

The wind, high heat and low humidity are fueling brush fires.

Crews in the Tri-State are fighting them and in Northeastern Kentucky, they fought 19 new fires Saturday.

Brush fires in West Virginia, Ohio and Kentucky are burning thousands of acres this spring.

In Northeastern Kentucky, forestry workers have fought about 200 brush fires since February 15th.

It's a big job for the roughly 150 people on crew.

There are still plenty of flames to fight in Johnson, Carter and Greenup counties.

Forestry officials said brush fires are common in the Tri-State, especially with dry, windy conditions. But they said the destruction left behind can be avoided.

Last fall, West Virginia's Forestry Division reported 51% of forest fires were arson.

If you're caught burning illegally, you could face steep fines or penalties.