Fort Riley officials conducted a controlled grassland burn on their training on Friday. It resulted in smoke filling the sky throughout the Junction City area.
Garry Berges, Geary County Emergency Management Director, said the controlled burn covered several training areas. "Because of the temperature and lack of wind the smoke stayed low to the ground. "
Multiple calls were received via 911, and also at the Sheriff's Department, Junction City Police Department and the Geary County Emergency Management. "We confirmed it all came from Fort Riley. The smoke was even seen as far away as Enterprise, which is about 20 miles."
Berges confirmed the smoke was expected to drift on out of the area Friday evening. He stated that he thought about 16-hundred acres were burned on post during the controlled burn. "It was all grassland out on the range. It was a controlled burn done by Fort Riley."