Photo courtesy of WKDZ Radio 106.5 FM.
Photo courtesy of WKDZ Radio 106.5 FM.
Photo courtesy of Kentucky New Era.CROFTON, Ky. -
A main roadway was shutdown and several residents lost power during a widespread brush fire in Christian County Thursday afternoon.
Authorities with the Christian County Sheriff's Department told Nashville's News 2 over 80 acres were destroyed in a brush fire that began shortly before 1 p.m.
Other reports stated that roughly 500 acres were blackened from the fire.
According to the Kentucky New Era, the fire sparked after a tree fell onto an electrical pole in Crofton. The fire was reported from a passerby traveling on Lewis Road.
Multiple fire departments, including 12 volunteer departments assisted at the scene.
The spread of the fire caused a seven mile stretch, between mile markers 23 and 30, of the Edward T. Breathitt Pennyrile Parkway to shutdown for over five hours. It reopened shortly before 1 a.m. Friday.
The highway patrol shut the parkway down due to dangerous visibility.
Officials expect a change in wind speed to assist with their efforts to put the fire out during overnight hours.
Authorities are urging drivers to be cautious when driving in the area and to be aware of emergency vehicles and firefighting personnel along the roadway.
Over 150 residents were without power for over three hours and it has since been restored.
No homes were destroyed during the blaze.
One firefighter was treated at a nearby hospital for heat exhaustion.
The American Red Cross assisted at the scene to provide crews with water to avoid further heat exhaustion. Temperatures in the area reached over 100 degrees Thursday.
Several farmers assisted at the scene to provide water tanks and other equipment. The Kentucky Forestry Department was also on the scene.
