Cottonwood Complex fire 70% contained after destroying 35 homes, 110 vehicles, chief says
The Cottonwood Complex fire east of Hutchinson has destroyed 35 homes, 92 outbuildings and 100 vehicles and is now 70% contained, according to a news release from the Hutchinson Fire Department.
The Reno County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the body of a missing person that was found Sunday, the release said.
Overnight crews were able to “complete assessments and locate issues or concerns that needed to be addressed” during the morning, the release said.
Several state agencies along with the Hutchinson Fire Department plan on Monday will be cutting down large burning trees and “working to put them out with special attention to the fire perimeter,” fire chief Steven Beer said.
Beer said the snow Sunday evening helped put out smoldering fires on the ground, but did not put out larger timber fires
Johnson County Task Force crews, the Kansas Forestry Service and the Hutchinson Fire Department will be working the fire today, the release said.
This story was originally published March 7, 2022 at 12:04 PM.