Officials hope cooler temperatures and recent rain will help firefighters control the blaze that's been burning in eastern Kentucky.
A sharp change in the weather could be a benefit for southeastern Kentucky. The region continues to deal with wildfires. On Thursday, Gov. Andy Beshear declared a state of emergency so resources can be better deployed to the region.
Officials hope cooler temperatures and recent rain in the area will help firefighters control the blaze. Ed Ray is a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Jackson. He said any amount of rain will help.
“Especially since we, in a sense, over produced with this system. Getting close to a half in inch definitely help moderate and tone down some of the spread.”
He said while this help is most welcome, it will not be sticking around.
“Probably not going to see any more rain until the end of the week or next weekend again after this. Under these conditions, and the drier air in place, things will improve in the short term, especially if we can hold onto some clouds for a day or two.”
Ray said the cooler temperatures will also help, because it makes it more difficult for fires to burn. Kentucky has had help this past week from crews from as far away as Idaho, Utah and Washington.
Copyright 2023 WEKU. To see more, visit WEKU.