Road closures and evacuation notices have been issued for several Kansas counties after a prescribed burn got out of control. It was an effort to control invasive plants, encourage new prairie growth, and prevent wildfires, but the ongoing drought in the area spread the fire rapidly.
Pott County has issued evacuation notices and crews are working to get the fire stopped in crop fields. Please obey any messages to leave and keep out of the area to allow emergency vehicles to work. pic.twitter.com/CXjD5ZG7Db
— Kansas ForestService (@KSForestService) April 7, 2024
Firefighters have been working to control the flames, even in crop fields as shown in this picture posted on X by the Kansas Forest Service. Three fires are currently active in Kansas, burning almost 15,000 acres.
With the spring wildfire season well underway across farm country, Farm Progress is sharing ways to protect land and property.
Keep your land mowed down short and make sure any flammable shrubs or trees are a safe distance from your home and other buildings. Identify bare ground or gravel areas where equipment can be stored in case of a fire. Spread out your hay supplies. Don’t keep it all stored in one area and develop a livestock contingency plan. Decide where animals can be moved until the fire passes.
