Officials have revised the total acres burned in a Monday evening wildfire in far northeast Riley County.
According to a Tuesday news release from the county, the Harmony Road fire scorched an estimated 650 acres, down from initial estimates of 1,000 acres.
No injuries were reported to people or livestock and no structures were threatened. The fire involved a prescribed burn that became out of control and burned for several hours before firefighters brought it under control.
“We are incredibly grateful for the assistance from neighboring counties, the State of Kansas and our dedicated volunteer firefighters,” said Russel Stukey, director of Riley County Emergency Management and fire chief with Riley County Fire District No. 1. “Their quick action kept a bad situation from getting worse.”
Riley County commissioners declared a disaster emergency declaration, allowing the State of Kansas to deploy the Dickinson County Wildland Task Force and to contract aircraft to assist with water drops Monday. Mutual aid was also provided by emergency personnel in Marshall, Nemaha and Pottawatomie counties.
Crews from the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks were in the area on Tuesday working to clear the area and to consolidate piles of burning brush to prevent further spread.
