By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY Salina Post

A rural Saline County man is out a $5,000 skid loader after a grass fire west of Salina Friday afternoon.

Saline County Sheriff Roger Soldan said this morning that Jared Woltje, 32, was mowing at 4735 W. Schilling Road shortly after 2 p.m. Friday when the mower caught the grass on fire. 

Once Woltje noticed the fire, he got his 1983 Case skid loader to try to put out the fire, Soldan said. The skid loader quit running, however, and was caught in the fire.

Three to four acres of grass burned before the fire was extinguished by Rural Fire District No. 6, Soldan said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1634574184261.jpeg" alt="Rural Fire District No. 6 firefighters extinguish a grass fire that burned a skid loader west of Salina. Photo courtesy Saline County Sheriff's Office" />
 <figcaption>Rural Fire District No. 6 firefighters extinguish a grass fire that burned a skid loader west of Salina. Photo courtesy Saline County Sheriff's Office</figcaption>
 </figure>By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY Salina PostA rural Saline County man is out a $5,000 skid loader after a grass fire west of Salina Friday afternoon.Saline County Sheriff Roger Soldan said this morning that Jared Woltje, 32, was mowing at 4735 W. Schilling Road shortly after 2 p.m. Friday when the mower caught the grass on fire. Once Woltje noticed the fire, he got his 1983 Case skid loader to try to put out the fire, Soldan said. The skid loader quit running, however, and was caught in the fire.Three to four acres of grass burned before the fire was extinguished by Rural Fire District No. 6, Soldan said.

Grass fire burns several acres, skid loader