Kansas
At least seven grass fires burning in southwest Kansas; highway shut down
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WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — Crews are battling multiple grass fires in southwest Kansas.
There are seven active fires near Rolla in Morton County, according to emergency management.
The Kansas Department of Transportation said Kansas 51 Highway between the U.S. 56 Highway junction in Rolla and the Kansas Highway 27 junction in Richfield is closed due to the fires.
According to Storm Track 3 Meteorologist Jack Maney, the fires started as a dry thunderstorm moved through the area. But the cause of the fires hasn’t been determined yet, as crews are still working to bring them all under control.
In addition to Morton County, there are also reports of wildfires in Ford, Clark, Meade and Stevens counties.
The State Emergency Operations Center has been partially activated to help respond to the fires.
The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks said Meade State Park has not been affected but has warned visitors to reconsider coming due to multiple fires in the area.
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