MEADE, Kan. (KWCH) – Wildfires burning in southwest Kansas prompted evacuation orders, a highway closure, and responses from agencies and task forces from across the state, including Sedgwick County.

As efforts to gain the upper hand on fires in Ford, Meade, Clark and Stevens counties continue Friday morning, there’s a piece of good news as the evacuation order for the city of Meade has been lifted. Overnight, residents were told to evacuate due to a fire burning south of town as firefighters battled to gain control of the wildfire. Meade Public Schools will not be in session on Friday.

Around 1 a.m. Friday, the NWS said the fire in Meade County was approaching the southern portion of the city of Meade. Late Thursday, KDOT closed K-23 because of the fire from U.S. 54 to the Oklahoma state line. Kansas Wildlife and Parks also announced Meade State Park had been evacuated late Thursday afternoon.

The Englewood Fire Department shared a video from Clark County that shows what firefighters were facing late Thursday night, with thick smoke billowing from scorched ground and flames still spreading.

by: Wil Day

Posted: May 14, 2026 / 05:43 PM CDT

Updated: May 14, 2026 / 05:46 PM CDT

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.

WICHITA, Kan. (KWCH) -Matthew Ho likes to keep a clean car.

“I basically use my car a lot for work, with my multiple day jobs and weekend jobs,” Ho said.

However, on Tuesday, it was anything but.

“I was on 135 going northbound towards Bel Aire,” Ho said, “Right about the exit of 21st st I kind of saw this big mess of pile up that just happened right as I was blinking.”

Ho had no choice but to drive through it. Then the smell came.

“I think it took a little bit just because at first it didn’t seem like it was anything,” Ho said.

The smell continued to get worse and there was nothing he could do about it. It was a 90 degree day, and even with that intense weather he could not use the air conditioning because the air that it used was smelly itself.

“It sticks, and now that we’re downdraft winds you can just smell it all the time,” Ho said.

The company responsible for the spill, No Limit Logistics LLC, said, ‘There was no human waste’. The Kansas Highway Patrol says otherwise.

Ho has tried to wash the smell out of his car multiple times.

“It didn’t work,” Ho said, “Washed the car again, still didn’t go away.”

Now, he is looking for someone to take responsibility.

“I would really like compensations for all the car wash, especially when it was something I didn’t do personally,” Ho said, “A mechanical failure on a truck isn’t necessarily someone’s fault, but someone’s liable for it.”