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Fire Burns Land Around Pennyrile Parkway

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Officials say sparks from an electric line caused yesterday's wildfire along the Pennyrile Parkway in Christian County.The fire began around 4 pm on the east side of the Parkway near Hopkinsville. Heavy smoke drifting onto the highway caused officials to detour traffic for about 7 miles. Nearly 20 professional and volunteer fire departments fought the blaze which burned more than 500 acres according to early estimates. The highway reopened around 3 am this morning. Kentucky Division of Forestry’s Lynn True says the parkway fire underscores how vulnerable dry conditions have made western Kentucky.

Shelly Baskin works in MSU's Office of Regional Outreach and is a graduate student in Occupational Safety and Health. A roustabout from Memphis, Tennessee, Shelly first found his way into WKMS through the newsroom back in 2011 through luck, charm and force of will. Though he left news for another position, he still enjoys working on independent radio projects and volunteering for the station. He’s an avid disc golfer and occasional real golfer and is terrible at both. A lover of all things musical, Shelly is always ready to hear something new and unique.
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