Apr 05, 2024

🎥 Planned burn turned into uncontrolled fire in rural Saline County

Posted Apr 05, 2024 3:24 PM

Click the center of the above video to play drone footage collected by Salina Post reporter, Olivia Bergmeier.

By OLIVIA BERGMEIER
Salina Post

Yesterday, many ranchers and landowners had a productive day for controlled burns across north central Kansas, with many in the southern portion of the state seeing smoky skies for miles.

Although many remained controlled, one planned burn in east Saline County a few miles north of Kipp eventually got out of hand around 12:30 p.m., requiring Saline County Rural Fire District Five (RFD #5) to respond to the blaze.

"It was a good day to burn. The problem with this burn was that the person who started it did it on the wrong side — so he started with the wind instead of against it," said RFD #5 Chief David Turner. "So the wind just kind of pushed it from there."

A landowner began the then-controlled burn about half a mile north of East Crawford Street near South Whitmore Road in a rural portion of the county. It then burned south, pushed by the northern winds.

Turner said eight RFD #5 units responded to the fire and quickly subdued it about an hour later. During the grass fire event, the flames did not damage buildings, people or livestock.

READ MORE: Saline County Commissioners consider proclamations and awarding bids at regular meeting