Published: September 30, 2009 05:19 pm      

Good and bad — 10/01/09

Abundant rainfall reduces fire risk but harms tobacco crop

The annual fall fire season has officially begun in Kentucky with the arrival of October. Fortunately, because of the plentiful rain we have had in recent days, the threat of forest and brush fires currently is extremely low. That doesn’t mean conditions won’t change with a few days of dry weather.

Regardless of the threat of fire, there are restrictions on outdoor burning that Kentuckians must observe during fire season, which continues through Dec. 15. During the season, it is illegal to burn anything within 150 feet of any woodland or brushland between the daylight hours of 6 a.m. and 6 p.m.

Officials with the Kentucky Division of Forestry say the restrictions on outdoor burning is intended to prevent fires during a time of year when the potential for dry conditions and the accumulation of leaf litter increases risks for wildfires.

And despite the abundance of rainfall throughout the summer and the early weeks of autumn, Division of Forestry Director Leah MacSwords said there is an added concern this year because several severe storms, including a devastating ice storm, have left “a significant increase in dead and fallen trees.”

While rainy weather during the fall months is the best friend of those concerned about wildfires, the rains in recent days have not been good news for tobacco farmers in the state. The rains fell just as tobacco was being cut and stacked in barns for curing. It’s an autumn ritual when the long green leaves gradually change to reddish brown in a process that prepares the leaf for market. Heavy rains at the wrong time slows the curing process and reduces the quality and value of the tobacco.

While the amount of tobacco grown in Kentucky has declined dramatically in recent years, this state continues to lead the nation in the amount of tobacco grown. While tobacco no longer is the number one cash crop in Kentucky, it still plays a major role in the state’s farm economy.

That makes the recent rains bad news for tobacco farmers but good news for those concerned about forest fires. Call it a mixed blessing.