SLADE, Ky. (LEX 18) — Firefighters say a wildfire at Natural Bridge State Resort Park has been contained. The park remains closed while firefighters finish their work.
The fire near the top of Natural Bridge was first reported Monday night. They said when they got there, it had burned about five acres. The operator of the Natural Bridge Skylift was able to ferry firefighters to the top of the hill, saving them a long hike up.
Windy conditions pushed the fire to burn about 60 acres. All trails in the park are closed. The lodge and restaurants are still operating. A Kentucky Division of Forestry spokesperson said conditions are challenging.
"Mainly the wind is our biggest issue right now. We have a lot of resources on the fire, currently. It's just unfortunately the wind, it's unpredictable and with the steep terrain, it causes the acreage to increase rapidly sometimes because it's moving uphill or downhill," said Kessley Baker, a wildfire mitigation specialist for the Kentucky Division of Forestry.
So far there’s no indication of what caused the fire. Firefighters said they expect it will take them about three days to mop up before they can reopen the trails.
