Posted on Wed, Jun. 27, 2007

Boone National Forest bans fireworks

SIMILAR RESTRICTIONS COVER MUCH OF SOUTH AMID SEVERE DROUGHT

By Dariush Shafa

DSHAFA@HERALD-LEADER.COM

Fireworks celebrations could go bust instead of boom because of severe drought in Kentucky.

Starting today, fireworks are banned in the Daniel Boone National Forest for 120 days. Forest Supervisor Jerry Perez said he is issuing the order because of the danger of fires. Possession or lighting of fireworks is banned, and citations for violating the ban are $75.

Communities throughout the South, including 33 counties in Alabama, have already banned fireworks because of dry conditions.

"It's pretty bad," Perez said. "We're in pretty severe conditions."

The closure order is the first of its kind since 1999. The forest service already has a standing permanent ban on possession or use of fireworks in developed national forest property such as recreation areas.

In 2006, there were 87 fires in the forest, burning 3,458 acres.

This year, there have been 70 fires that have burned 5,845 acres, and the second fire season for the year is still months away. The two normal fire seasons are in the spring and fall, from February to April and from October to December. Perez said the 13 fires that have burned in the forest since May 1 is "quite unusual."

The most recent large fire, which took place in Red River Gorge and forced the closure of two hiking trails, burned 68 acres and started from a runaway campfire.

Although small fireworks are banned in the forest, professional Fourth of July celebrations with permits will be unaffected.

There is no similar ban in place on state land, said State Forester Leah MacSwords. Any bans will be on a county-by-county basis.

"We'll just be on heightened alert and have our people ready to respond," MacSwords said. "There's not much else we can do but advise people that they need to be extremely careful with fireworks."

Paris, Winchester, Frankfort, Richmond, Nicholasville and Versailles and their counties have no fireworks bans and have no plans for them. Georgetown doesn't have any in place at this time but could have a ban by this Friday.

There's no ban or plan to stop Lexington's Fourth of July fireworks yet, but the city will follow the Lexington fire department's warnings, said Penny Ebel, special events director with the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government.

The risk from fires sparked by fireworks is real, threatening wooded areas and houses alike.

"If the grass is brown and we have any fireworks hit the grass, the chance of a fire starting is high," said Doug McLaren, an extension specialist in the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture's forestry department. "When they (fires) get started, they just move on up," McLaren said.

The state fire marshal has not issued any stop orders for fireworks displays, and he said it'll be left up to local authorities.

Fire Marshal Rodney Raby said he is pushing people to avoid using their own fireworks.

"If they're bound and determined to do it, they need to take precautions," Raby said. "We want them to celebrate their independence and celebrate the occasion, but not burn down their houses or damage anyone else's property in the meantime."