Local state of emergency declaration issued due to large grassfires

The Board of County Commissioners declared a state of local disaster emergency for Douglas County on Wednesday, April 16, due to two large grassfires that are currently under control and contained. The declaration provides access to state resources.

“Due to the size of the grass fires in heavily forested areas, a large number of resources from Douglas County and neighboring counties were required to bring the fires under control and mitigate the risk of them spreading,” Deputy Douglas County Emergency Management Director John Stipetich said. “Resources were requested through the Kansas Division of Emergency Management to provide additional suppression and mitigation on Thursday when winds are expected to cause dangerous fire conditions.”

Firefighters from multiple agencies in Douglas County and the surrounding area fought two large grassfires in windy conditions on Wednesday. No injuries were reported, and no structures were lost. The fires were located near:

• 176 N 2150 Road in the northwest part of the county
• 125 N 1150 Road, west of Clinton Lake

Responding agencies included Consolidated Fire District No. 1, Palmyra Fire District No. 2, Willow Springs Fire District No. 3, Baldwin City Fire Department, Eudora Fire Department, Edwardsville Fire Department, Northwest Consolidated Fire District, Northwest Franklin County Fire Department, Olathe Fire Department, MTAA Fire Department, Shawnee Heights Fire District, Lawrence-Douglas County Fire Medical, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Kansas Wildlife and Parks, Kansas Forestry Service, Lecompton Township, Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, Douglas County Emergency Communications Center and Douglas County Public Works.

Douglas County will be under an outdoor burn ban in the unincorporated areas for Thursday, April 17, due to dry, warm and windy conditions.

"High winds and low humidity create a perfect storm for wildfires,” Stipetich said. “Fires can start and spread quickly under these conditions. Please double check old burn sites, fully extinguish any lingering embers, and report smoke immediately by calling 911.”