Heavy winds, dry air, and high levels of flammable vegetation were to blame for a rash of wildfires across Kansas this week, Ben Kuebrich (KEY-brick), of the Kansas News Service, has more.
Ben Kuebrich is a reporter for High Plains Public Radio and a contributor to Kansas Public Radio and the Kansas News Service.
Related AP story
Kansas Firefighters Mopping Up Last of Wildfires
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Crews have extinguished 50 wildfires and are now mopping up the remains of another seven amid an outbreak that has blackened more than 42 square miles across Kansas. The Kansas Adjutant General's Office said Thursday that no fire-related injuries have been reported in the state. A barn and outbuilding were destroyed in Elk County. Its spokeswoman, Katie Horner, says the fire risk has eased for now. But she adds the state remains dry and there is a fire danger every day, particularly this weekend in western Kansas. As many as nine Black Hawk helicopters with water buckets were deployed at one time this week to assist with firefighting efforts. Most of the acreage that burned was in northwest Kansas where five fires charred more than 23 square miles.