Post updated at 9:40 a.m. Sunday, March 16:
No one was injured and no structures were lost despite long battles with several grass fires in rural Douglas County, including one 200-acre fire east of Stull, Friday into Saturday morning.
“Firefighters encountered near hurricane-force wind gusts during the extremely dangerous fire,” according to a Saturday news release from the county.
The 200-acre fire was near North 1600 and East 400 roads, according to the county. Area residents were directed to evacuate for about two hours beginning around 5:12 p.m. Friday. It was declared under control Saturday morning, according to the release.
“These conditions and the large fires created challenges for firefighters and first responders, but the teamwork and coordination helped us protect lives and property amid the threat of these fires,” John Mathis, interim fire chief for Douglas County Consolidated Fire District No. 1, said in the release.
The Corps of Engineers and Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks will continue monitoring the area, “where continued smoke and smoldering trees are expected for the next several days,” according to the release. The Kansas State Fire Marshall has started a preliminary investigation.
A section of U.S. Highway 56 between East 2100 and East 1950 roads was also closed for most of the day Saturday after high winds knocked down some power poles on Friday. Evergy crews repaired the poles and the highway was reopened Saturday evening.
Fires across Kansas and Oklahoma, coupled with dust storms in some areas, contributed to extremely hazardous road conditions throughout the state.
A crash on Interstate 70 in Sherman County in western Kansas involved more than 70 vehicles, and at least eight people were killed, according to the Kansas Highway Patrol. The highway didn’t reopen until around 7 p.m. Saturday.
Another fire forced the closure of Kansas Highway 10 near De Soto for a while Friday evening.
Many folks in Lawrence could smell smoke throughout the evening, and the area was hazy.
Numerous area agencies helped with the grass fires in Douglas County, according to the release: Consolidated Fire District No. 1, Willow Springs Township Fire, Kanwaka Township, Eudora Fire and EMS, Baldwin Fire, Lawrence-Douglas County Fire Medical, and Palmyra Fire District No. 2.
As part of a mutual aid request, Northwest Consolidated Fire District in Johnson County, 190th Air Refueling Wing and MTAA from Shawnee County, Olathe Fire Department and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Ranger Service all responded, according to the release.
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Molly Adams / Lawrence Times
