UPDATE: As of 9 p.m.: Reno County Emergency Management has issued a news release on the Pleasant Valley fire from Thursday afternoon. According to Emergency Management Director Adam Weishaar, at approximately 1:30 p.m., Reno Kingman Joint Fire District # 1 was called to a grass fire in the area of K-14 and Pleasant Valley Road. Residential structures were threatened, but none were damaged. Dry conditions contributed to rapid fire spread.
For a period of time K-14 between Fountain Green and Castleton was closed due to heavy smoke conditions across the highway. Reno County Sheriff's Office, Haven Police Department and the Kansas Highway Patrol provided traffic control.
The fire was finally brought under control at approximately 4 p.m. Units were still on the scene late into the afternoon and early evening for mop up. A Task Force was activated along with mutual aid units to assist in the fire including Reno Harvey Joint Fire District # 2, Reno County Fire District # 3, Reno County Fire District # 8, Reno County Fire District # 9, South Hutchinson Fire Department and Hutchinson Fire Department. Pretty Prairie EMS and Reno County Emergency Management.
A total of sixteen apparatus and support units responded along with 36 personnel. At the current time, it is estimated 80 acres burned. Farm machinery was the fire’s ignition source.
The second fire near Fun Valley was called in just before 2:30 p.m. That fire required extensive overhaul and chainsaw operations and crews were on scene there for about three hours.
A third call came in just before 4:30 p.m. to 3501 West 9th, where crews found multiple brush piles and debris on fire spreading through multiple yards. That fire was contained quickly, but required extensive overhaul.
No injuries were reported from any of the fires. Temperatures were in the 90s Thursday afternoon with relative humidity below 30%.
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HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Area fire crews were kept busy with several fires Thursday afternoon. The largest was located long K-14 near Pleasant Valley Road south of Hutchinson. Several calls for mutual aid were made. K-14 was closed for several hours while crews battled the blaze. Later in the afternoon a call came out about another fire located along the Arkansas River just north of Fun Valley. A third call came in around 4:30 p.m. for a fire located on West 9th Avenue also near the river. No word on damage or injuries from any of the fires at this time. No details have been released.
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UPDATE as of 4 p.m. — Crews are getting the upper hand on the fires. Crews are having to deal with hot weather and very dry conditions. Temperature is 93 with 24% humidity and winds northeast at 5-15 mph.
___________________________________________UPDATE as of 2:57 p.m. — Officials have opened K-14 again, but motorists should know that a number of fire trucks are still in the area. Crews are trying to get full control of this fire. No other word on the second fire located along the Arkansas River north of Fun Valley at this time. Still no word on damage or injuries.
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HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Another fire has been reported along the Arkansas River, north of 4th Avenue near Fun Valley. Fire crews have been called to the scene. No other information is available at this time.
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HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Area fire crews are battling a major wildfire south of Hutchinson. According to Reno County 911, the fire is located along K-14 Highway near Pleasant Valley Road.
Units are being summoned for mutual aid to assist with the blaze. Because of the fire, K-14 is closed to all traffic in that area and motorists are urged to stay out of the area due to the large number of emergency vehicles.
So far, no word of injuries or damage.
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