RUSSELL COUNTY —Multiple fire departments and first responder agencies responded to two large grass fires in southeast Russell County on Thursday, according to Russell County Emergency Management.
At noon, the first fire was located eight miles southwest of Bunker Hill in the area of 189th Street and Lincoln Road. Russell County Rural Fire District Five responded, but almost immediately requested more Russell County rural fire departments respond due to high winds with gusts in the 60 to 70 mph range. The cause of the first fire was electrical power lines.
The second fire to the north started approximately a mile south of US Highway 40 on 193rd Street south of Bunker Hill. It was caused by a responding fire truck losing a tire and crashing into the ditch.
All told, approximately 2,000 acres of grassland were burned in both fires. There were no injuries due to the fires and a handful of structures and residences were threatened, but none were damaged.
Russell County EMS responded to a crash involving a Russell County Sheriff’s Deputy vehicle and a Dorrance Fire Department fire truck. No one was transported to the hospital and the Kansas Highway Patrol investigated both vehicle crashes, the other being the fire truck that lost a tire.
Early in the process, a verbal disaster declaration for Russell County was requested and approved by the Russell County Commission, thereby allowing the request of mutual aid resources from the state.
All fire departments from Russell County were involved in the response, as well as fire departments and additional agencies from multiple surrounding counties.
Both fires were declared under control at around 5 PM Thursday evening with some firefighters remaining on scene to put out hot spots and monitor the area.
Russell County Emergency Management, the Russell County Sheriff’s Office and Russell County Rural Fire District Five thank all local and state agencies that responded to assist, as well as private citizens and businesses.