Johnson County firefighters help battle wildfires in central Kansas

OLATHE, Kan. — Johnson County firefighters are serving to put out raging wildfires in central Kansas.

Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly issued a catastrophe declaration attributable to wildfire hazard.

One impacted space is in Washington County in north central Kansas.

“They’d a wildfire begin yesterday that induced a major menace to the city,” stated Bryce Haverkamp, with the Kansas Forest Service. “It induced some evacuations.”

Members of the Johnson County Taskforce are locally serving to volunteer firefighters.

“What they’re doing is a whole lot of that soiled work — they’re within the timber, they’re reducing bushes down,” Haverkamp stated. “They’re mopping up sizzling spots and it takes a whole lot of manpower.”

Haverkamp defined dry circumstances and fatigue are main challenges firefighters are coping with.

In keeping with the U.S. Drought Monitor, southern and central Kansas are within the highest drought degree at distinctive.

As firefighters proceed to combating the wildfires, Haverkamp ask individuals to concentrate on the circumstances to keep away from extra fires.

“Only a single spark from a lawnmower hitting a rock when you’re mowing the grass, or throwing a cigarette out the window, or dragging a series or pulling a trailer — only a easy spark proper now will trigger a fireplace to quickly develop,” Haverkamp stated.

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