More than 100-acre fire at Kentucky's Natural Bridge State Resort Park is '100% contained'

A week after it sparked, an ongoing fire at a popular nature preserve in Kentucky is now completely under control.

The fire, which consumed more than 100 acres at Natural Bridge State Resort Park and spread into the Daniel Boone National Forest, is "100% contained," Gov. Andy Beshear said Monday afternoon in a Twitter post thanking those who had responded in previous days.

A total of 125 acres were burned, according to the Kentucky Division of Forestry, which also confirmed Monday that the fire was contained. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Crews plan to remain on site through Tuesday to monitor containment lines, after additional U.S. Forest Service personnel who had helped with relief efforts were released Sunday night. More than 100 fire response workers helped over the course of the previous week, the U.S. Forest Service said Monday.

Trails at Natural Bridge State Resort Park, in Wolfe and Powell counties in Eastern Kentucky, have been closed during the fire. The Division of Forestry statement said those trails would remain closed in the interim as park staff members assess the damage and determine their safety and what repairs are needed. Cottages and parking lots were also closed as of Sunday, along with Mill Creek Lake, though Red River Gorge and the Daniel Boone National Forest remain open.

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The fire began on April 17 and consumed just five acres that day but quickly spread to a 100-acre blaze, local officials had previously said. The park's unique natural characteristics, including cliffs and arches, had slowed containment efforts, and "red flag" weather conditions Wednesday and Thursday heightened the chances of additional fires. The weather cooled over the weekend, with temperatures in the 50s and 60s expected to remain early this week in Slade, Kentucky.

Natural Bridge State Resort Park is a well-known site for camping and outdoor activities, with national recognition for the towering stone arch that gave it its name It's about a two-hour drive from Louisville and is southeast of Lexington.

Reach Lucas Aulbach at laulbach@courier-journal.com.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Red River Gorge fire at Natural Bridge State Resort Park now contained