A high fire danger areawide Sunday materialized with a fast-moving grass fire that developed on Interstate 35 east of Emporia well after sunset.
Hartford-Neosho Rapids Fire Chief Greg Zumbrunn says his department was one of several dispatched to the fire scene at mile marker 140, near the Interstate’s Hartford-Neosho Rapids exit, shortly after 10:30 pm. The fire apparently started in the median but jumped the northbound lanes and pushed rapidly to the south, riding southerly winds as high as 35-40 mph.
The fire burned about 40 acres before it was brought under control. The cause is currently unknown.
Besides Hartford-Neosho Rapids firefighters, fire crews from District 4 — Emporia’s rural fire unit — helped along with firefighters from Miller and Reading. Lyon County deputies also helped.
Given dry conditions for most of the last two months, the fire danger will be moderate to high all week.
