Forest fire season heats up in Eastern Kentucky with more than two dozen fires since Friday, some coming dangerously close to homes.

Ten of those fires burned in the Kentucky River District Wednesday and right now, seven of them are contained. Forestry officials say winds and low humidity spread the fires across mountain tops but they say arson is a problem much worse than the dry weather.

Arsonists went to work early, setting a 35 acre fire in Krypton around three Wednesday morning. In the Combs community, flames in a 45 acre area jumped close to six homes.

"We go through this about once a year. We have some people that like to play pranks and start fires," said Randy Sampsell with the Krypton Fire Department.

Sampsell watched the smoke billow around his Krypton home. His uncle was asleep with his family across the street when he says the fire came within two feet of the back door.

"A lady was nice enough to pull up in his driveway and blow the horn and wake him up. Ten more minutes and he could have lost his home. They could have lost their lives," Sampsell said.

Forester Herman Slone says he hasn't seen a single person convicted of arson related to a forest fire in the Kentucky River District in 13 years. He says the people who live here are the best bet to give his crews a break.

"If we could get the residents involved in reporting these arsonists, it would cut down on these arson fires. It would bring our load down tremendously," Slone said.

He says most of the time someone sees something that could help catch those responsible.

To find the phone number of your local forestry division, log on to http://www.forestry.ky.gov/distoff/