UPDATE: As of 11:00 a.m. Sunday. Fire crews continue to hold hotspots and perform burnout operations on approximately 12,000 acres affected by the fire.
Four task force units remained on the scene overnight and five are operating today. Crews are also making detailed damage assessments. As of 8 a.m. Sunday, there were two missing individuals. One has been located safe. One other is still missing and a search is underway to locate that person. If you are missing a loved one, you are asked to call dispatch at 620-694-2800.
Flight restrictions remain in place from Obee Road to Burmac Road and from 30th Avenue to US-50. This is so aerial crews can continue to make water drops. The no-fly includes drones, so keep them far away from the area. Hutch Fire is also stressing that, even though Buhler Road is open, motorists need to stay out of the area. 4th and G Avenues are still closed from Willison to the county line as are the crossroads in those areas. Black Hawk helicopters were expected to begin operations Sunday morning, dropping water.
For those wishing to make donations of water and gatorade, you can drop them off at the fire command center at 3201 E. 4th Ave. Please do not bring food. Monetary donations to help the victims of the fire can be made by calling 211 or by going to unitedwayofrenocounty.org. Donations can also be mailed to 924 N. Main, Hutchinson, KS 67501.
Both shelters at Burrton High School and the Hutchinson Salvation Army are closed and all of those needing assistance are being handled by the Red Cross on a case-by-case basis. The cause of the fire has not been determined at this time and it will be several days before the fire is brought under control.
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UPDATE: As of 10 p.m. Hutch Fire says the Cottonwood Complex fire began at 12:37 p.m. south of 4th Avenue near Willison. The fire quickly jumped Buhler Road and went east. The fire has burned about 12 square miles. There have been civilian injuries and one person is still reported as missing. If you have loved ones missing, you're asked to call 911. A 211 number has been set up to help with donations for those displaced by the fire.
A large number of structures have been damaged or destroyed but the extent of the damage won't be known until morning. Crews continue to put out areas of fire within the area burned. Evergy is working to restore power to the area.
The following roads are still closed: 4th Avenue and Avenue G from Buhler Road to the county line and Victory, Rayl and Worthington roads in those areas.
All other roads are open as of 11 p.m. but people are asked to stay out of the area due to the large number of trucks and other equipment in the area.
A temporary flight restriction is in place in the burned-out area due to aerial fire fighting efforts that will continue into tomorrow. Black Hawk helicopters are expected to assist starting tomorrow. That includes drones. Residents are being allowed back to their homes but any other traffic is not allowed. Cattle pens have been set up at the Gray residence at 8115 E. 4th Ave. for those who need to use them for livestock.
Hutch Fire says it does not know how serious the civilian injuries were and did say one fire truck was involved in an accident today. Crews will be working for several days to finish up the fire and a favorable forecast is calling for lighter winds and a chance of rain on Sunday. The fire department says it will hold another press conference Sunday morning.
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UPDATE: As of 7:54 p.m. Some fire crews are being released as others continue to hit various hot spots. That will continue through the night and well into tomorrow. A press conference is scheduled for 9:30 this evening. We will be back following that update with a final look at today's events. The Reno County Task Force has been released and all units are heading back to their stations.
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UPDATE: As of 7:33 p.m. Power is out in several areas where the fire swept through east of Buhler Road. Most of the housing area east of Cottonwood Hills is without service. Power lines were down in the area of 4th and Worthington. A total of 87 Evergy customers are without service, mostly along 4th Avenue between Buhler Road and the county line.
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UPDATE: As of 7 p.m. Crews have been called to 10307 E. 4th for a rekindle of the fire on that property. Such calls have been coming in as the wind continues to be a problem. Crews are combing the area for hot spots and hosing down areas to keep things under control.
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UPDATE: As of 6:31. Crews have been called to an area around 615 Hidden Meadow Lane for a brush fire. This is near Willison and 4th, which is near where the fire started this afternoon.
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UPDATE: As of 6:25 p.m. Crews appear to be getting a little more of an upper hand on the fire although it will be days before it is brought fully under control, according to the Hutchinson Fire Department. The area of the fire is so large that many hot spots will need to be monitored throughout the night time. Current weather temperature is 41 with humidity at 61% and winds NW at 22 with gusts still near 40 MPH.
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UPDATE: As of 6:11 p.m. Doug Hanen with the Hutchinson Fire Department says the Cottonwood Hills fire could take several days to be brought under control. Hanen gave a brief update on the fire earlier. Another update from the fire department is scheduled for 9:30 p.m. Crews are still fighting the fire along multiple fronts after the wind shifted. Winds are expected to finally die down around midnight but will still be above 20 MPH.
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UPDATE: As of 5:30 p.m. Efforts to stop the fire continue along 4th and G avenues east of Buhler Road. There are reports of homes lost from the fire. The Kansas Department of Emergency Management has dispatched two Black Hawk helicopters to help with the aerial efforts to fight the fire.
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UPDATE: As of 5:23 p.m. The Kansas Forrest Service has provided two aerial resources to help with what is being called the Cottonwood Hills Complex fire. The Kansas Department of Transportation has requested that airspace around Reno and Harvey counties be closed due to the aerial fire fighting efforts.
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UPDATE: As of 5:05 p.m. During a short press conference, details were made available about the fire. The blaze started around 12:37 p.m. at 800 Willison, which is about a mile west of Buhler Road. The fire quickly jumped into the old Cottonwood Hills golf course and raced east into Harvey County. Crews have also been called to the KWCH tower building a few minutes ago for a fire. Numerous structures have been involved in this fire and crews continue to work between G Ave. and US-50 and then west of Buhler Road.
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UPDATE: As of 4:45 p.m. Hutchinson Fire says if you want to donate food or drinks for fire crews that you drop them off at the command center located on East 4th just west of the old Eaton building. The address is 3201 E. 4th.
___________________________________________UPDATE: As of 4:29 p.m. Residents in the Burrton area who have had to evacuate due to the fire can find shelter at Burrton High School at 115 E. Lincoln in Burrton. Residents closer to Hutchinson can find shelter at the Hutchinson Salvation Army at 700 N. Walnut.
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UPDATE: As of 4:15 p.m. Crews are dealing with flare ups along 4th Avenue. Crews are working their way east of Buhler Rd. to make sure nothing become more of a problem. Power lines are reported down in the the 4th and Woodberry area along with trees blocking the road along Woodberry. Winds continues to gust above 45 MPH.
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UPDATE: As of 3:53 p.m. Fire has been reported near Buhler Rd and Avenue G. The aerial tanker was doing water drops there. Winds are now out of the northwest at 30 and gusty. RH is up to 47% and the temperature is down to 55*.
___________________________________________BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Fire Warning
Reno and Harvey counties Emergency Management
Relayed by National Weather Service Wichita KS
252 PM CST Sat Mar 5 2022
At the request of Reno and Harvey county Emergency Management, a large wildfire is ongoing in eastern Reno into western Harvey counties in between the towns of Buhler and Burrton. People are being asked to evacuate if you live in the following areas:
Reno County - Evacuate homes from 30th to U.S. Highway 50 from Buhler or Haven Road to Burmac Road.
Harvey County - Immediate evacuation requested from U.S. Highway 50 to Northwest 48th from Woodbury to Sandhill Road
___________________________________________UPDATE: As of 3:00 p.m. The fire continues to burn its way into Harvey County. A front is just west of Reno County and winds are not as strong but are reported out of the northwest behind it. Here is a photo of our radar picking up the smoke.
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UPDATE: AS of 2:48 p.m. Harvey County has ordered all residents living in an area from 1st to 48th Streets and from the county line east to Sand Hills Road to evacuate. Numerous structures have been involved this afternoon and crews continue to work to save others.
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UPDATE: As of 2:25 p.m. Several structures are being threatened or are involved with this fire. Residents from Buhler Road east to the county line and from 4th Avenue North are being asked to evacuate.
___________________________________________UPDATE: As of 2:02 p.m. Adam Weishaar of Reno County Emergency Management says that a shelter is being set up at The Salvation Army in Hutchinson for those who are being evacuated.
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UPDATE: As of 1:55 p.m. Evacuations are being recommended for residents along 30th Avenue between Buhler and Rayl roads. If you want to evacuate and feel you can't, you are asked to call 911. Evacuations are also being ordered for residents along Avenue G between Buhler and Rayl.
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HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Hutchinson fire crews along with crews from Rice, McPherson, Harvey and Sedgwick counties are fighting a major wildfire east of Hutchinson.
Evacuations have been ordered for areas around the Palomino Development, residents around the old Cottonwood Hills golf course and all residents from Buhler Road to Rayl Road along 30th Avenue.
If residents cannot evacuate, they are urged to call 911 for assistance.
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