Firefighters from two Lyon County departments were called out to battle a string of small grass fires along Interstate 35 near Emporia early Monday. That’s not what they found.
Fires were reported shortly after 4:30 am along I-35 between mile markers 136-140 northbound, or just west of Road R-1 to just west of the Kansas Highway 130 exit. Hartford-Neosho Rapids Fire Chief Greg Zumbrunn tells KVOE News fire crews only found one fire at mile marker 139, or two miles west of the K-130 junction. Zumbrunn says the fire covered an area about 50 feet by 10 feet and was quickly put out. A cause is undetermined.
Besides Hartford-Neosho Rapids, Lyon County District 4 — or Emporia’s rural fire unit — responded along with Lyon County deputies.
Even with snow cover in some areas, this is the time of year when a lot of controlled burns begin taking place once conditions allow. Lyon County Emergency Management Director Jarrod Fell will have a reminder on burn policy on Tuesday’s Newsmaker segment at 7:20 am.
4:50 am Monday: Small grass fires reported along Interstate 35 near Emporia
Firefighters and law enforcement responded to a reported string of small grass fires along Interstate 35 near Emporia early Monday morning.
Fires were reported shortly after 4:30 am along I-35 between mile markers 136-140 northbound, or just west of Road R-1 to just west of the Kansas Highway 130 exit. Lyon County Fire District 4, or Emporia’s rural fire unit, and Hartford-Neosho Rapids responded along with Lyon County deputies. The situation was deemed clear shortly before 5 am.
Causes have not been determined. The number of fires triggering the response is currently unclear.
