A very high fire danger areawide Tuesday bore itself out with several small grass fires and a destructive building fire across Lyon County.
The building fire happened near Roads 40 and P, about three miles southeast of Olpe, shortly before 3 pm. Olpe Assistant Fire Chief Michael Nunley tells KVOE News a homeowner was burning trash in a barrel, left the fire for a time and returned to find it had spread to a large round hay bale as well as a 5-foot-by-15-foot shed that had another 30 small bales inside.
It took about two hours for firefighters from Olpe, Hartford-Neosho Rapids and Emporia’s rural fire unit as well as Lyon County deputies to get the fire out. By that time, the shed and hay were destroyed. No injuries were reported.
The firefighting effort started with two small grass fires in northwest Emporia — one just west of the Dryer Park dog park and one just west of the 24th and Prairie intersection. Several others were reported Tuesday afternoon, including two each at the Interstate 35-Road U junction and the Road 170-Road W area. Another grass fire developed near Roads 360 and S-5, near the site of a controlled burn Saturday and a rekindle Sunday, but Allen-Admire says Tuesday’s fire was not a secondary rekindle.
Causes have not been announced. No injuries or structural damage was reported with any of those incidents.
3:20 pm Tuesday: Local fire crews battling reported structure fire south of Olpe
Area firefighters are in the process of combating a structure fire near Olpe.
Crews were toned out just before 3 pm for a reported structure fire a quarter-mile east of Roads 40 and P roughly 3 miles south of Olpe. Details are pending, however, initial indications are that a barn may be the structure involved.
Olpe fire was initially called out to respond with District 4, Emporia’s rural fire unit, being toned at as mutual aid shortly after 3 pm. Stay with KVOE, KVOE.com and KVOE social media for additional details as they become available.
The structure fire follows a slew of smaller grass fires that have developed across the county keeping fire crews busy throughout the day. The fire danger remains elevated with temperatures approaching 60 degrees, ongoing dryness, low relative humidity levels and south winds as high as 35 mph.
1:30 pm Tuesday: Emporia Fire remains busy Tuesday as small grass fires develop across Lyon County
The grass fire danger remains high into Tuesday evening, and Emporia Fire has been busy for much of the day putting out spot fires in and around town.
Firefighters were first called to an area near the Dryer Park dog park along West 24th around 10:45 am. A small amount of grass burned there. Shortly after 11 am, firefighters were sent to another small grass fire near 24th and Prairie.
After noon, firefighters have been battling a quartet of grass fires simultaneously, two along Interstate 35 near mile marker 138, or right at the Road U junction, as well as two more near Roads 170 and W.
Causes on all these fires have not been announced.
The fire danger remains elevated with temperatures approaching 60 degrees, ongoing dryness, low relative humidity levels and south winds as high as 35 mph.
11:30 am Tuesday: Small grass fires develop in northwest Emporia; fire danger high to very high Tuesday
Emporia Fire has been working a pair of grass fires in the city limits late Tuesday morning.
Firefighters were first called to an area near the Dryer Park dog park along West 24th around 10:45 am. A small amount of grass burned there. Shortly after 11 am, firefighters were sent to another small grass fire near 24th and Prairie.
Firefighters are still working the area around 24th and Prairie. Several drivers went past that area despite westbound traffic being blocked by fire crews, so Emporia Police now has that intersection blocked until the situation is resolved.
Causes have not been announced for either location. We’ll have updates on KVOE, KVOE.com and KVOE social media.
With temperatures approaching 60 degrees, ongoing dryness, low relative humidity levels and south winds as high as 35 mph, the fire danger is high to very high areawide Tuesday afternoon.
