Lyon County fire crews had their hands full with a pair of fires that developed almost simultaneously Thursday afternoon, along with another that developed after sunset.
Just before 1:45 pm, a brush fire was reported in the 1700 block of Road 285, just over eight miles north of Reading and 16 miles northeast of Emporia. Reading and Miller fire crews were initially called to the scene with Allen-Admire crews called in as mutual aid shortly after.
Lyon County Undersheriff John Koelsch tells KVOE News the fire started as a controlled burn that became out of control. Crews had the fire quelled just before 4 pm.
Roughly an hour after the first fire was reported, Emporia’s rural fire unit and Olpe Fire were called to a grass fire in the 800 block of Road 90, located 10 miles south of Emporia and five miles northwest of Olpe. Emporia Fire Battalion Chief Jesse Taylor confirms target practice was the cause, and he says the fire got close to four houses and several other outbuildings before being turned away and ultimately being knocked down. It took almost three hours for the fire to be put out.
Another grass fire developed in the 3500 block of Road P around 8:30 pm Thursday. Details on that incident are pending.
The exact amount of acreage burned has not been announced.
