High winds, dry ground elevate fire danger across Kansas

MCPHERSON, Kan. (KWCH) – Increased fire danger due to high winds and dry ground prompted the Kansas Forest Service to suggest that farmers in the state temporarily halt harvesting.

The Bishop family, farmers in Decatur County, know the threat from such conditions all too well. A rapidly spreading fire knocked out a couple of acres worth of pastureland.

“My daughters are driving age. They were out working on their learner’s permit hours, so they came back and parked in the tall grass like I’ve told them several times not to do because it’d cause a fire. And sure enough it did,” Canaan Bishop recalled of the fire that only took about 30 seconds to knock out two acres.

It’s a situation that he said could’ve been far worse, although it did destroy a vehicle.

“Any other direction, we would’ve lost horses, a camper, horse trailers, everything like that,” he said. “Nobody was hurt. It could’ve been a lot worse.”

The McPherson Fire Department echoed the importance of fire warnings and what to be aware of.

“Try not to do burns, make sure to check on controlled burns that you may have done earlier in the week. Make sure no fire pits are going, no burning trash,” McPherson Fire Department Division Chief Seth Graham said. “Cigarettes is a big thing, too. Don’t flick them out on the interstate or anywhere that could possibly start a fire.”

Graham added that running combines can also be more of a risk.

Bishop said the short-term sacrifice of spending a couple of days out of the fields is worth it in the long run compared with the risk of starting a potentially devastating fire. He said the dry ground, paired with the wind, is “a recipe for disaster.”

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