Winfield Fire Department joined effort to extinguish lumber yard fire
Plus: Burn permits required this week, flu shot clinic planned for Tuesday, and growing season extended by warm temperatures
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Winfield Fire Department joined efforts to extinguish massive Pine Knot lumber yard fire
PINE KNOT, Ky. | Winfield Fire Department joined multiple fire departments from Kentucky in battling a massive blaze that destroyed a McCreary County lumber yard Friday night.
Numerous fire departments and law enforcement agencies were on the scene for hours Friday night after the fire broke out just before sunset at Pine Knot Lumber, located on Southern Highway (Old Highway 27) near U.S. Highway 27, just south of Ky. Hwy. 92.
According to Pine Knot Fire Department, it was joined on the scene by Whitley City Fire Department, North McCreary Fire Department, Eagle Sawyer Fire Department, and West McCreary Fire Department, in addition to Winfield Fire Department.
Also responding to the fire were McCreary County Ambulance Service, Genoe’s Towing and Recovery, the McCreary County Sheriff’s Office, Kentucky State Police, Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife, and South Kentucky Rural Electric Cooperative Corporation.
A cause of the fire has not been stated by officials.
The massive fire at the Pine Knot lumber yard, which has strong Scott County connections, occurred on the same day that an explosion destroyed an explosives plant in Hickman County, Tenn., killing all 16 people inside. In the case of the Pine Knot fire, fortunately, no injuries were reported.
Pine Knot firefighters said just before 9:30 p.m. Friday night that the fire had been brought under control and its crews would remain on the scene for several more hours to extinguish hot spots. That effort continued into the early morning hours Saturday.
Burn permits required beginning Wednesday
Burn permits will be required for outdoor burning in Scott County and across Tennessee beginning Wednesday.
Tennessee requires burn permits from Oct. 15 to May 15 each year — coinciding with the emergence of dead, dry foliage and undergrowth in the fall and the green-up in the spring. Burn permits are required for burning leaves, natural vegetation, and other debris. It is illegal to burn plastics, treated wood, and certain other items.
Burn permits can be obtained at BurnSafeTN.org, or by calling (877) 350-BURN between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Burning without a permit is considered a Class C misdemeanor in Tennessee, which can result in fines or even jail time.
A burn permit is valid for one day, and the fire must be completely extinguished by midnight on the day the permit is received.
This week is considered the start of the wildfire season in Tennessee. Most wildfires are caused by careless debris burning, resulting in the loss of natural resources and personal property. Some wildfire seasons are worse than others, depending on weather conditions. October and November in 2016 resulted in numerous wildfires locally and across Tennessee, for example. That was the year of the Chimney Rocks fire in the Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area, and the deadly wildfires that caused massive destruction in Gatlinburg.
Much of the continental U.S. is currently considered to be in various stages of drought, including most of the eastern U.S. However, the eastern two-thirds of Tennessee and eastern Kentucky represent one of the few pockets of the U.S. east of the Mississippi River that are not at least considered “abnormally dry” by the U.S. Drought Monitor. Timely rains could help allay fears of an active wildfire season.
There were no active wildfires anywhere in Tennessee as of Sunday.
Late arrival of cold weather will mean extended growing season
The end of the growing season is marked annually by the first hard frost of the fall season. This year’s growing season will extend a bit longer than normal on the Cumberland Plateau, with no cold weather in sight.
The average date of the season’s first frost in Scott County was yesterday. The average date of the first light freeze is tomorrow, and the average date of the first hard freeze — when temperatures dip to 28° or below — is Oct. 24. When only data since 2000 is considered, those dates shift slightly, to Oct. 16 for the first light freeze and Oct. 27 for the first hard freeze.
Temperatures are expected to be in the 40s or warmer all week this week, eliminating any concern of the season’s first frost. Slightly warmer temperatures are expected next week.
Long-range models show indications of a deeper cool-down during the final month of October, though there are currently no indications that a hard frost will occur during that time frame.
The extended growing season is providing more time for gardeners to plant cool-season crops like turnips and radishes, as well as hardy over-winter greens. Fall is also considered an ideal time to plant trees and shrubs, like fruit trees, berry bushes, shade trees and evergreens. The cooler air and warmer soil encourage root growth before they go dormant at the end of the growing season. Tips for planting trees in the fall include watering them deeply, mulching them well, and not fertilizing until spring. However, evergreens in particular — like spruce and pine — are best planed at least six weeks before consistent freezing weather, which is a gamble even with this year’s warmer weather.
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Flu clinic is tomorrow
HUNTSVILLE | Pinnacle Resource Center and Walgreens will conduct a flu shot clinic tomorrow (Tuesday) at the Pinnacle Resource Center. The center is located in the old Capital Hill School building at 1513 Jeffers Road in Huntsville.
The clinic will be conducted from 9:30 a.m. until 12 p.m. for any person ages five or older. Walgreens will bill your insurance provider for the shot. However, if you do not have insurance, vouchers for free shots will be provided.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that most Americans receive the flu vaccination before the end of October. While it’s never too late to receive a flu shot, it takes about two weeks after vaccination for the body to build up protection against the flu.
In the U.S., flu season typically begins in October and peaks between December and February. The influenza virus thrives in cool, dry conditions, making it more stable and easier to transmit in the colder months. It also takes advantage of people spending more time indoors and in close contact during the cooler season.
In the southern hemisphere — which is considered a harbinger for the winter flu season in the northern hemisphere — the virus peaked early this year. In Australia, flu-like illness began to rise sharply in May and activity surpassed the five-year average. Those could be signs of an intense flu season in North America. However, vaccine effectiveness is expected to be strong this year, since genomic surveillance has confirmed that southern hemisphere flu strains were antigenically comparable to circulating strains.
In the U.S., the CDC estimated that there were as many was 82 million cases of influenza during the 2024-2025 flu season, causing at least 610,000 hospitalizations and at least 27,000 deaths.
The Week Ahead
☀️ Weather: It’s going to be a beautiful week, with dry, sunny days and cool nights. Temperatures will be very close to normal for this time of year. Check out our daily Eye to the Sky updates on our Facebook page — published each morning at 7 a.m. on the dot — or always available at indherald.com.
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📅 Community Calendar
Monday: The Scott Appalachian Industries Senior Center in Huntsville will offer its walking program, puzzles and games, and massage chairs from 8:30 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. today and every weekday this week. Congregate meals are also available on-site at 12 p.m. each day, and are free to seniors ages 60 and over. You’re asked to call ahead, 423-663-9300. Additionally, Tai Chi will be offered at 11 a.m. today.
Monday: Ridgeview Behavioral Health Services’ Mobile Health Clinic will be in the Walmart parking lot in Oneida from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., offering integrated primary care and behavioral health. No insurance is not a problem. Call (866) 599-0466 for more information.
Monday: The Scott County Senior Citizens Center (Main Street, Oneida) will serve lunch from 11:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. The cost is $7 for dine-in or carry-out. Phone: (423) 569-5972.
Monday: The Scott County Finance Committee will meet at the Scott County Mayor’s Office in Huntsville, beginning at 5 p.m.
Monday: The Town of Winfield Board of Mayor and Aldermen will meet at the Winfield Municipal Building, beginning at 6 p.m.
Monday: The Round Table will not air on the IH Sports Network this week. It will return next week, on Oct. 20.
Monday: In sports, the soccer postseason begins with Oneida hosting Harriman and Scott High hosting Clinton. Both games kick off at 6:30 p.m.
Tuesday: The Scott County Senior Citizens Center (Main Street, Oneida) will host exercise from 10 a.m. until 11 a.m.
Tuesday: Pinnacle Resource Center’s food pantry (1513 Jeffers Road, Huntsville) will be open beginning at 10 a.m. There are no income guidelines; however, a photo ID and a piece of mail with a Scott County address are required.
Tuesday: The Scott Appalachian Industries Senior Center in Huntsville will offer Tai Cha at 11 a.m.
Tuesday: Boy Scout Troop #333 will meet at the Oneida War Memorial Building on Alberta Street in Oneida beginning at 6 p.m.
Tuesday: Wall Builders will meet from 7 p.m. until 9 p.m. at Trinity Baptist Church (1611 Glass House Road, Helenwood) for those struggling with addiction or striving to keep off drugs. There will be preaching, teaching, food, fellowship and personal counseling.
Wednesday: The Scott County Senior Citizens Center (Main Street, Oneida) will serve lunch from 11:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. The cost is $7 for dine-in or carry-out.
Wednesday: The Scott Appalachian Industries Senior Center in Huntsville will offer Senior Meal Connect.
Thursday: The Gerry McDonald Mission House, located on Church Avenue, directly behind First United Methodist Church, is open from 8 a.m. until 12 p.m. You are eligible to receive food once per month. For more information or requirements, call the church office at 569-8828.
Thursday: The Scott County Senior Citizens Center (Main Street, Oneida) will host exercise from 10 a.m. until 11 a.m.
Thursday: The Scott Appalachian Industries Senior Center in Huntsville will offer a Halloween Cake Walk at 1 p.m.
Thursday: The Town of Oneida Board of Mayor and Aldermen will meet at the Oneida Municipal Services Building, beginning at 6 p.m. The Town of Huntsville Board of Mayor and Aldermen will meet at the Huntsville Municipal Building, beginning at 6 p.m.
Looking Ahead: God’s Grace Soup Kitchen will return to Helenwood Baptist Church Fellowship Hall Saturday, Oct. 18, at 11 a.m. with a free lunch consisting of vegetable beef soup, pimento cheese sandwich, and dessert. Drive by and your lunch will be handed to you through your car window.
The Community Calendar is presented by Citizens Gas Utility District. CGUD regularly patrols its system and checks its pipelines for leaks to help mitigate hazardous situations. Visit citizensgastn.com.