Fire near Lake Afton under control; crews battling hot spots
A grass fire near Lake Afton is under control after 24 units from Sedgwick County, Wichita, Cheney and Clearwater were called to fight it.
The fire was reported under control at about 12:30 p.m. — about 45 minutes after it was first reported.
While crews remain on scene to put out hotspots, deputies have allowed homeowners to go into their homes. There is lower visibility due to heavy winds blowing across dirt and gravel roads.
Jacob Newman said he has lived on West 47th Street for a decade. Nearby grass fires have happened before, but he said this is the first time his house has been in danger.
"I was actually in class (at Friend's University) when I saw the smoke, but I didn't think anything of it," he said, just before deputies with the Sedgwick County Sheriff's Office let him go to his home.
His pets — four German Shepherds and some aquatic life — were safely inside, he said. Other homeowners in the area said they moved their horses to other pastures for safety. Some charred cedar trees could be seen on West 47th — which is closed between 231st and 215th as of 1:30 p.m.
Newman said deputies told him the fire started closer to 215th Street.
The county is under an extreme fire danger until 6 p.m. today.
"This means any outdoor burning is not permitted," Kate Flavin, public information officer for the county, said. "Residents need to use caution and avoid any outdoor burning including using cigarettes, welding or even a car exhaust backfire."
Other grass fires ignited across Kansas on Tuesday afternoon. The National Weather Service-Wichita said in a Tweet that a satellite indicated a large fire a few miles north of Harper. Trooper Tod Hileman with the Kansas Highway Patrol said a fire just north of Hays was creating problems with visibility. Traffic on Interstate 70 was rerouted to Highway 40 on the south end of Hays, he said.
This story was originally published March 6, 2018 at 1:44 PM with the headline "Fire near Lake Afton under control; crews battling hot spots."