Local Officials Urge Caution as Wildfire Danger Remains High

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Extremely high fire danger continues across the region, with officials in Riley and Pottawatomie counties reporting no local grass fires so far but urging residents to use extreme caution. Wildfires have raged in southwest Kansas, leading to evacuations in several communities and scorching over 145,000 acres across Kansas and Oklahoma.

Why it matters

Wildfires pose a serious threat to public safety and property, especially in drought-prone areas. Local officials are closely monitoring conditions and taking precautions to prevent further outbreaks that could endanger lives and damage homes and businesses.

The details

Despite no local reports of grass fires, officials in Riley and Pottawatomie counties have confirmed that burn bans remain in effect due to the extremely high fire danger from strong winds, low humidity, and warm temperatures. Elsewhere in the state, wildfires have already raged, leading to evacuations in Ashland and Herndon and scorching over 145,000 acres across Kansas and Oklahoma.

• On Tuesday, wildfires erupted in southwest Kansas.
• As of Wednesday morning, the high fire danger conditions continued across the region.

What’s next

Officials will continue to monitor the fire danger and issue any necessary evacuation orders or additional burn bans if conditions worsen.