Fire reports?
- Thread starter cheesy
- Start date
M. R. Byrd
Well-known member
Part of Dodge City were evacuated, along with Ft. Dodge and Wilroads Gardens. Farmers to the southeast of Dodge out right now plowing fire breaks. Ashland and Englewood were evacuated. Some structures lost. Some injuries. Fireman suffering exhaustion. We had gale force winds from the SW then about four o'clock it turned WNW and was calmer for a moment then went back to gaie force.
A good friend of mine had one coming right at his house, but thankfully the wind shifted, or else he would have been evacuating.
They evacuated the entire town of Wilson, I used to live close by in Ellsworth and have a lot of family there. Hunt on some family friend's ground thereabouts and he was out doing what he could to help last night.
They evacuated the entire town of Wilson, I used to live close by in Ellsworth and have a lot of family there. Hunt on some family friend's ground thereabouts and he was out doing what he could to help last night.
Miforester
Well-known member
Sorry for your friends loss, glad the house was spared. Hoping you guys stay save out there.
Bilbo Baggins
Member
Bleu,
Thank you very much for sharing the photos, how sad. My thoughts and prayers are with the landowners and brave firefighters. God Bless You!
Thank you very much for sharing the photos, how sad. My thoughts and prayers are with the landowners and brave firefighters. God Bless You!
kick them up
Active member
Wow, devastating. Prayers out to the families affected.
small munsterlander owner
Banned
That is good for your buddy he lucked out... How did things turn out in the Wilson area??? What direction was it traveling if u know. I've hunted turkey out that way b4 nice friendly people out there hope no major losses...
westksbowhunter
Well-known member
Had a former student of mine with lots of fire damage to his house in Ransom.
M. R. Byrd
Well-known member
Bleu,
Scary pictures on that trail cam.
I have said many prayers for those dealing with loss and those still fighting fire.
Lots of loss in the fires, lives, homes, farmsteads, fencing, livestock and wildlife.
As for the wildlife--
One example of extreme loss is the Dunne Valley Ranch, which was 23,000 acres of wildlife paradise. A good friend guides there and it was a place where he could put up 15 plus coveys a day, day in day out. It has been this way for a good number of years. I have had the pleasure of hunting it twice in my lifetime. It is undulating sandhills with tall grass and lots of plum thickets.
Here it is the last time I hunted it-
Here is it today, with bare sifting sand dunes(as I understand it looked during the Dirty 30's)
Scary pictures on that trail cam.
I have said many prayers for those dealing with loss and those still fighting fire.
Lots of loss in the fires, lives, homes, farmsteads, fencing, livestock and wildlife.
As for the wildlife--
One example of extreme loss is the Dunne Valley Ranch, which was 23,000 acres of wildlife paradise. A good friend guides there and it was a place where he could put up 15 plus coveys a day, day in day out. It has been this way for a good number of years. I have had the pleasure of hunting it twice in my lifetime. It is undulating sandhills with tall grass and lots of plum thickets.
Here it is the last time I hunted it-
Here is it today, with bare sifting sand dunes(as I understand it looked during the Dirty 30's)
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M. R. Byrd
Well-known member
3PM, Wednesday, March 8, 2017
From:
Kansas Division of Emergency Management
"Sadly, we have set a new record in Kansas. The one grassfire alone in Clark and Comanche Counties holds the record for most acres burned in Kansas from a single fire. So far, 351,000-400,000 acres have burned in Clark County (that's 85% of that county), and 151,000 in Comanche, making the total over 500,000 acres. The previous record was 312,427 acres in Comanche and Barber Counties in 2016. In addition to ground crews, there are two Black Hawk helicopters with 600 gallon buckets dropping water on the fire and two Chinook helicopters capable of dropping 2,000 gallons are joining the fight.
There are five counties across Kansas fighting fires right now. In addition to Clark and Comanche, Reno, Ellis and Rooks Counties have fires not yet contained.
Governor Brownback declared a State of Emergency at 7:21 PM March 5, 2017"
THIS IS HORRIBLE NEWS. LOTS OF SUFFERING OF HUMAN, ANIMAL(DOMESTIC AND WILDLIFE), PLANT, SOIL AND WATER.
From:
Kansas Division of Emergency Management
"Sadly, we have set a new record in Kansas. The one grassfire alone in Clark and Comanche Counties holds the record for most acres burned in Kansas from a single fire. So far, 351,000-400,000 acres have burned in Clark County (that's 85% of that county), and 151,000 in Comanche, making the total over 500,000 acres. The previous record was 312,427 acres in Comanche and Barber Counties in 2016. In addition to ground crews, there are two Black Hawk helicopters with 600 gallon buckets dropping water on the fire and two Chinook helicopters capable of dropping 2,000 gallons are joining the fight.
There are five counties across Kansas fighting fires right now. In addition to Clark and Comanche, Reno, Ellis and Rooks Counties have fires not yet contained.
Governor Brownback declared a State of Emergency at 7:21 PM March 5, 2017"
THIS IS HORRIBLE NEWS. LOTS OF SUFFERING OF HUMAN, ANIMAL(DOMESTIC AND WILDLIFE), PLANT, SOIL AND WATER.
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Prairie Drifter
Well-known member
We worked fire lines on the Reno county fire on Tuesday and Wednesday. Plenty of devastation! We worked the north side yesterday and helped put down a lot of hot spots that were right against cover and ready to rekindle into a head fire. Things settled down in the afternoon, but the morning was continuous spraying, shoveling, and raking. Had 3 helicopters and a plane or two dropping. We did see deer, turkey, cottontails, and quail in the black. I'm amazed as much by what it didn't burn as what it did. Though it would have still be devastating had it only been grass, those fuel laden cedar trees sure made it more severe! There was a 3-4 inch layer of needles under those trees. This has been building up for years and everyone knew it was a powder keg and these conditions brought it to bear. So much more could have gone up. Plenty of hard working fire fighters have given of their time and efforts to help folks that they'll never meet.
Miforester
Well-known member
Been thinking about you guys and was hoping all were safe. We have been sending a few folks out of state to help with the battle.....just waiting for my name to be selected so I can help assist. Fire is such a great habitat tool, but unforgiving at the same time. Grasslands or forest lands if fuels are not reduced we end up with the powder kegs. Keep up the good fight and keep one foot in the black.
Prairie Drifter
Well-known member
Tom, in that thick cedar timber they wanted our UTV rigs. We took 8 two man rigs Tuesday and 6 Wednesday. I'm amazed that any fire truck could move in that sugar sand and wetlands in the low spots. We also have people working the Clark county and Russell county fires. All 900 acres of the Clark State Lake grounds were burned. Had fires all around us when these fires were hottest. 5% humidity is really scary! My buddy Jeff watched the Reno fire from where he usually jogs and said he'd never seen anything like it. Probably 100 foot flame lengths in the cedars.
M. R. Byrd
Well-known member
Thanks for your work Drifter. You along with the others battling the fires are in my daily prayers.
Miforester
Well-known member
Troy, man 5% is what we call drier than a popcorn fart! Only bad things happen when that low. Do you have any dozers making line? Our utvs are not that functional in our application, other than areas our big rigs can't get to. Your cedars is like our jack pine planted for kirtlands warbler habitat.....it just begs to catch fir in early spring, we have had fire on flat land that rival western fires. I can visualize what you guys are dealing with. Stay safe!
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My friends in Oklahoma lost their entire ranch, NE of Beaver, 8,500 acres of great quail, deer, pheasant and most importantly to them cattle habitat gone. This rancher is a true conservationist, enrolling some of his grass in CRP for the lesser prairie chicken initiative. Luckily nobody lost their lives or their homes.
How long does it take for the grass to grow back if they get adequate rain? I had one buddy out there that said if they get rain it will be good again this fall, I have a hard time believing that.
How long does it take for the grass to grow back if they get adequate rain? I had one buddy out there that said if they get rain it will be good again this fall, I have a hard time believing that.
Prairie Drifter
Well-known member
We saw quite a bit of that. I did see dozers, graders, track hoes, and loaders all either working or stationed to respond. Yeah, the UTV's have their limitations, but it does allow for quicker deployment of hand tool functions to the far in places. Helps us carry more tools as well. Worked pretty well for us in this sand. Sure, there were places we couldn't get, but we could easily walk from the UTV to those.
Prairie Drifter
Well-known member
Of course it is early for the NWSG to start growing, but once it wakes up and has water, it will start growing immediately. With the sun directly on it and the black catching heat, it could happen a little earlier. Everything is relative. If we get a lot of big wind, it could move a lot of sand and blow the grass out. Similar result with big rains. I'm sure the fire truck tracks will result in some blowouts anyway. This stuff has always moved. It's a pretty natural cycle.