Firefighters deal with multiple wildfires in Kansas on Monday

KEARNY COUNTY, Kan. (KSNW) – Multiple wildfires popped up around Kansas Monday afternoon.

The largest was straight south of Lakin in Kearny County. KSN’s John Jenkinson shared a video of the wildfire.

Terrance Maas sent KSN News a picture of an aircraft being used to battle the flames. Whitley Siebert also sent photos of the fire.

Kearny County Emergency Services posted that the fire south of Lakin was extinguished late Monday. It said farmers, Grant County Fire, Stanton County Fire, Garden City Fire, Tri-Rotor and the Kansas Forest Service were all instrumental in helping get the fire extinguished.

Another KFS employee helped with a fire in Seward County, about 10 miles east of Liberal.

According to a Facebook post from Leader & Times, as of 6:48 p.m., Seward County Fire Chief Andrew Barkley says, “Seward County firefighters are on an active fire scene in eastern Seward County. This is an ongoing incident and firefighters have been on scene since roughly 12:30 p.m. today.”

The post also states that two firefighters have been treated by EMS and Southwest Medical Center from Seward County Fire Department.

Around 5:25 p.m., radar showed a wildfire in northwest Sumner County, just west of Conway Springs.

Shortly before 5 p.m., a wildfire popped up on the county line between Stafford and Reno, north of Turon.

“Crews from Stafford and Hudson stations responded for the report of CRP on fire in the 500 block of SE140th Ave. Crews were on scene for approximately one and half hours. Tomorrow winds are supposed to pick up and fire danger will be high. Check any control burns you may have done over the past few days to ensure they are out,” said the Stafford County Fire Department Monday on their Facebook page.

Around 3:30 p.m. Monday, a wildfire started to burn in south Reno County. It is west of Pretty Prairie, south of Arlington. Reno County officials say crews are working a small fire west of Hutchinson.

It appears a wildfire flared up in northeast Kingman County around 3:15 p.m., just north of HWY 400 and northwest of Cheney. Kingman County officials said crews are working a pasture fire north of U.S. Highway 54 near NE 120th.

Around 3:20 p.m., it looks like a small wildfire flared up in south Rice County, north of Sterling, however, the latest scans show the fire has likely been put out.

There was also a fire in McPherson County, north of Groveland, but it appears to be out or almost out.

The KSN Storm Track 3 has been warning about the risk of wildfires due to the high wind and dry conditions. On Monday, Governor Laura Kelly issued a state of disaster emergency declaration due to the fire risks this week.

Fire weather warnings continue to fill in across the region through 8 p.m. on Tuesday.

Meade County Fire Chief Brandon Hageman says some of his crews are helping fight fires in neighboring counties.

“You get a day like today where the humidity is low, and the wind comes up, then that fire you thought was out could get away from you pretty fast,” he said.

NASA also has a website with fire information to help firefighters. Click here to see some of the possible hot spots in Kansas.

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