WHITLEY CITY, Ky. — McCreary County Judge-executive Jimmie Greene is demanding that the U.S. Forest Service remove dead and damaged trees in the Daniel Boone National Forest to lessen the chance of a fire hazard.

        If the forest service does nothing, Mr. Greene says he will.

        “Should the Forest Service fail to take action, I fully intend to declare an emergency,” Mr. Greene said Friday. “We are going to mobilize local forest workers, loggers, and, if necessary, call the governor and ask him to send the National Guard in to help.”

Jimmie Greene, judge-executive of McCreary County, points out fallen trees in Daniel Boone National Forest. He wants loggers to be able to harvest trees to lessen the threat of fire. (Associated Press photo) | ZOOM |

        Mr. Greene sent a letter to the U.S. Forest Service on Wednesday demanding that measures be taken to alleviate the danger of “catastrophic” fires.

        The danger comes from tens of thousands of fallen trees littering the county since 1998, when a storm dumped 2 feet of snow and heavy winds and a tornado followed.

        Now dried out, the trees could fuel forest fires, Mr. Greene said.

        McCreary County is entirely nestled within the southern portion of the national forest.

        Mr. Greene wants to allow loggers to come in and salvage the downed trees.

        But the Forest Service has been under a court-ordered logging prohibition since 1998. It cleared downed trees from roads and recreation areas, but left the others where they fell.

        Benjamin Worthington, supervisor of the national forest, signed an order Sept. 18 that would allow loggers to remove storm-damaged trees on an emergency basis. Mr. Worthington could not be reached for comment Friday.

        But Kentucky Heartwood, an environmental group which filed the 1998 lawsuit, also sought an injunction to stop this action.

        “It's just an absolute sham,” said Jim Bensman, forest watch coordinator for Heartwood. “This is just an attempt to get back into commercial logging under the guise of fire prevention, using fears from all the fires out West this year. It's a monetary emergency. They want money.”

        U.S. District Judge Karl Forester will hear arguments for and against the injunction in Lexington on Tuesday.

        Gov. Paul Patton's office had no response Friday to Mr. Greene's request for military help.

        The Forest Service is developing plans to cut fire lines in strategic locations to control any potential blazes, said Marie Walker, spokeswoman for the Forest Service.

        She said in some places, fallen trees will be moved to locations where they'd cause less damage if they caught fire.

Newport struggles as chill moves in
Powerful water stream cut gas main 'like a drill'
Schools promote online safety
Ads for 'hell house' pulled
Extra beds barred
RAMSEY: School nutrition
Tavern in Butler Co. sold pot, crystal meth, cops say
Woman indicted in shooting death
Chabot defends fund vote
Hamilton: We can beat job loss
Almanac hints at cold snap
Antiques show offers treasures
Boy admitted to hospital after fight
Boy convicted of injuring driver
Brother is charged with slaying
Cab driver's killer sentenced to prison
County bond rating goes up
County official fears fires
DNA links baby, slain woman
Driver gets probation for causing man's death
Fall fun under way
FBI to probe behavior on flight
Firm's former VP may be part of scheme
Gallatin Steel fined $925,000
Hinton directs focus to others
Hooters asks award be cut
HOWARD: Neighborhoods
Hundreds of nuclear jobs at Piketon spared
Ky. pair petition for Justin
McNUTT: Writer's reward
No sports without reports
Robber, 19, gets 7-year sentence
Second patient dies after treatment at center
Study explains radiation victims' cancer
Suspect says uncle threatened to kill him
Toddler recovering from fall
Walkers await new path
Tristate A.M. Report