UPDATE: Emergency Crews Battle Large Wildfires in Shawnee, Pottawatomie, Wabaunsee Counties
TOPEKA, Kan. (KSNT) - Emergency crews worked to put out several wildfires in northeast Kansas this (WED) afternoon. KSNT TV reports that Jackson County Sheriff Tim Morse urged people in the city of Delia and surrounding area to evacuate immediately. The grass fire initially started in Shawnee County and caused a two-vehicle crash just west of Rossville. It happened just before 1 p.m. Shawnee County officials told KSNT News that smoke from the fire was likely a factor in the 2-vehicle crash. Two people were involved in the accident. One person had minor injuries but was not taken to the hospital.
Local law enforcement said visibility had been low in the area, and urged people to avoid it if possible. The National Weather Service in Topeka tweeted just after 1 pm, saying satellite detected the large fire near the Shawnee-Pottawatomie County line. The Emergency Alert System issued a Civil Emergency Message around 2:30 p.m. Around 3 p.m., the NWS in Topeka said its satellite detected two additional fires in Wabaunsee and Pottawatomie Counties. Most of eastern Kansas remains under a Red Flag Warning and Wind Advisory until 6 p.m. This is a developing story.
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