by BECKY GOFF
Little Apple Post
RILEY COUNTY - Volunteer firefighters with the Riley County Fire District #1 fought three wildfires over the weekend.
Thankfully no structures were burned and no injuries were reported.
On Friday evening, fire crews were called to the area of Gehrt Road near the intersection with Highway 177 on reports of heavy smoke where a wooded area, estimated to be 4 acres of cedar timbers and dense forest, connects with the neighborhood was burned.
Crews found multiple areas on fire near several homes, in yards and ditches, as well as two spot fires cause by embers that blew across HWY 177 due to strong winds in the area.
Volunteers and neighbors worked for more than 4 hours to extinguish smoldering trees and other debris in the steep, wooded terrain after the fires were brought under control.
The cause of the fire was undetermined, however, neither arson, nor foul play are suspected.
“Cedar burns quickly and intensely, and fire danger was extremely high on Friday,” said Fire Chief and Emergency Management Director Russel Stukey. “Winds were gusting to 60 MPH and flames were visible for miles, but thankfully this burned out quickly. This fire threatened multiple homes and in some cases came within feet of damaging property. I continue to be grateful for the work of our volunteer fire crews - we’ve had a lot of close calls this season and their quick response times are the main reason we’ve been able to keep people and property safe.”
On Saturday, two prescribed, permitted agricultural burns got out of control and require assistance from Riley County Fire District #1 to get the fires under control and extinguished.
One fire was located on Stockdale Park Road, while the other was near Peach Grove Road. The estimated number of acres burned in these two fires is yet to be determined.
"My best advice is to stay aware of the weather,” said Stukey. “On days where fire danger is high, limit outdoor activities that cause sparks, such as welding or metal work. Also make sure you’re always following the requirements of a burn permit if you’re doing any Ag or brush pile burning when conditions allow.”
A Fire Weather Warning has been issued by the National Weather Service in Topeka for Tuesday, April 4th, due to low humidity, warm temperatures and the expected high winds.
No outdoor burning is allowed in Riley County on April 4th, 2023.
For more information about burn permits or to apply to serve as a volunteer with Riley County Fire District #1, visit www.rileycountyks.gov/fire or call 785-537-6333 during business hours.
The Kansas Forest Service also provides prescribed burning classes to property owners. More information is available at https://www.kansasforests.org/fire_management/prescribedfire.html
Sign up for emergency notifications, including burn condition notices, at www.rileycountyks.gov/alerts