Fire at Natural Bridge State Resort Park spreads over 100 acres, prompting action

Ana Rocío Álvarez Bríñez, Louisville Courier Journal
·2 min read
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A wildfire at Natural Bridge State Resort Park that has expanded to more than 100 acres has prompted the indefinite closure of several areas inside Kentucky's Red River Gorge nature preserve and brought out a substantial response from local emergency agencies.

About 100 firefighters from the Kentucky Division of Forestry, U.S. Forest Service Daniel Boone National Forest and other local fire departments are working to control the blaze, which began late Monday, a release from the Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet said. The fire had consumed just five acres as of Tuesday but had intensified significantly by midday Wednesday, with winds pushing having pushed it over containment lines at the Natural Bridge State Resort Park in Slade, Kentucky.

“What makes Natural Bridge unique, namely its arches and cliff lines, also makes it extremely difficult to control wildfire,” Brandon Howard, director of the Kentucky Division of Forestry and state forester, said. “Hand crews with fire rakes have to construct containment lines while maneuvering in, around, and sometimes over cliffs.”

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Red River Gorge is still open but all park trail heads and parking lots other than the lodge lot are closed inside Natural Bridge State Resort Park, the release said. The release did not say when areas will reopen and called on visitors to be cautious in areas that are not closed.

Red flag conditions, which indicate an increased risk of fire danger, are in Thursday's forecast, due to an expected cold front with low humidity. The release recommended taking extra precautions with any planned debris fires and campfires.

Updates are available on the Kentucky State Parks website on the Natural Bridge State Resort Park’s Facebook page.

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This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Red River Gorge: Natural Bridge State Resort Park fights 100-acre fire