The State Emergency Operations Center (EOC), located at Boone Center, Frankfort, KY., has been activated in response to the numerous wildland fires across the Commonwealth.
Drought conditions continue to worsen, as the forecast does not indicate sufficient precipitation to lessen fire threats.
Officials from Kentucky Emergency Management (KYEM), and other state, federal and volunteer agencies, along with representatives from the private sector, will be operating within the EOC, offering support as requested.
The Kentucky Division of Forestry has responded to nearly 40 fires across the Commonwealth, with the largest fires located in Harlan, Pike, Letcher, Knox and Bell counties. No injuries, deaths, evacuations or threats to residences have been reported at this time.
The Kentucky National Guard has mobilized two UH-60M Blackhawks and one LUH-72 Lakota out of the Army Aviation Support Facility in Frankfort, Ky. The aircrews will coordinate with the Division of Forestry and are projected to assist until mission complete.
The Blackhawks will provide firefighting capability and fire suppression efforts with 600-gallon water buckets (Bambi buckets), while the Lakota will support with command and control from the air.
For additional information and resources, please go to http://www.kyem.ky.gov where you can follow KYEM on Twitter and like us on Facebook.
(story provided by Kentucky Emergency Management)
