TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) Kansas residents are being urged to act cautiously with outdoor burning as the state marks a week of awareness of the dangers of wildfires.
Gov. Sam Brownback has signed a proclamation declaring this Wildfire Awareness Week.
The state fire marshal’s office said in a news release Monday that Kansas had more than 3,200 vegetation fires last year, resulting in more than $4 million in property damage and losses and six injuries.
The fire marshal also says those fires burned more than 125,000 acres of land.
Brownback’s proclamation says preventing wildfires is a public safety issue affecting all of Kansas, not just rural areas. Residents are urged to follow posted guidelines for outdoor burning and avoid dangerous use of fireworks.
