After two area counties were in burn bans Wednesday, another is a burn ban now until at least Saturday.
Chase County Fire Chief Steve Fillmore announced the ban Wednesday evening, noting the Friday forecast of temperatures near record levels and wind gusts possibly above 30 mph. Thursday’s forecast involves highs in the upper 60s and wind gusts up to 20 mph, while Saturday could be another very high fire danger day even with showers and thunderstorms possible. Saturday will have highs in the mid-70s, and there could be gusts above 40 mph.
Given the forecast and the ongoing very high fire danger so far all week, other area counties may follow suit. Osage and Wabaunsee counties were in burn bans Wednesday.
Lyon County normally uses the National Weather Service red flag warnings as automatic burn bans during the warning period, and Wednesday was active for Emporia and Lyon County firefighters. Crews handled fires in the 1300 block of Road J, 1200 block of Road 210 and 100 block of Road 155 during the early afternoon hours. They also went to the Kansas Turnpike mile markers 114 and 119, as well as the intersection of Roads 250 and V.
Speaking of Wednesday’s weather, the high of 86 degrees obliterated the prior record high of 75 set back in 1955. It was also better than 30 degrees above the normal high of 52.
We’ll keep you updated on the fire danger on KVOE, KVOE.com and KVOE social media.
4:15-6 pm: Grass fires pop up near Emporia
Grass fires have cropped up near Emporia as a very high fire danger continues areawide.
Lyon County fire crews have handled fires in the 1300 block of Road J, or about two miles south of Emporia’s southern city limits, as well as the 1200 block of Road 210, three miles north of Emporia, and the 100 block of Road 155. Early indications are the fires started as controlled burns but went out of control.
Other fires were reported by late afternoon along the Kansas Turnpike mile marker 114 and 119 as well as Roads 250 and V.
Relative humidity levels were as low as 8 percent at the time of the fires. Other details about the individual fires are pending.
The fire danger remains high to very high areawide Thursday and Friday before showers and embedded storms are possible Saturday.
