Saturday started calm but turned busy for Emporia firefighters shortly before noon.
Firefighters spent close to two hours battling a reported structure fire in the 1900 block of Road J, or two miles north of Emporia’s north city limits. The fire was reported around 11:45 am, and Emporia Fire Capt. Ryan Schmidt says there were actually two outbuildings that caught fire after the unnamed landowner burned trash within 25-30 feet of the structures. Once embers blew out of a barrel, both buildings caught fire and were eventually destroyed. Also destroyed were at least one ATV and mower along with some tools.
Firefighters were also called out to a possible rekindle at the location around 3:30 pm.
Emporia crews also handled a grass and fence fire that developed in an alley in the 1100 block between Congress and Constitution. Emporia Police on scene used fire extinguishers to slow down the fire before Emporia Fire finished the task. The cause is currently unknown.
No injuries were reported with either incident.
Meanwhile, Hartford-Neosho Rapids and Olpe firefighters were called to handle an out-of-control burn near Roads 75 and R-5 around 3:30 pm. Up to 15 acres of grass, brush and cedar trees were involved when firefighters arrived. Hartford-Neosho Rapids Fire Chief Greg Zumbrunn says early indications are a controlled burn went out of control.
Also, Allen-Admire, Miller and Reading units were dispatched to an out-of-control grass fire near Kansas Highway 99 and Road 370, nearly 20 miles north of Emporia and about four miles north of Admire, shortly after 10:30 pm. Details are currently developing.
The very high fire danger in place Saturday continues Sunday with high temperatures approaching 90 degrees, dry grasses, low relative humidity levels and a combination of gusty and shifting winds.
Separately, Emporia Fire responded to a reported injury crash near Roads 230 and G, or about seven miles northwest of Emporia, after a pickup truck reportedly rolled and stopped near a creek. Nobody went to a hospital by ambulance transport afterward.
Emporia Fire and Lyon County deputies also took one cyclist to Newman Regional Health after the rider was found unresponsive by cyclists involved in Saturday’s Flint Hills Gravel Ride & Run. Additional details are pending.
