Overview
- Large wildfires are burning across Clark, Ford, Harper, Meade and Morton counties under a disaster emergency coordinated by the State Emergency Operations Center.
- The Meade Lake Fire has burned about 44,000 acres, and the Wolf Canyon Fire in Seward County is near 6,700 acres with roughly 30% containment.
- More than 90 fire trucks and over 200 firefighters from 75 departments are deployed, with four Kansas Army National Guard Black Hawk helicopters conducting water drops.
- The Kansas Forest Service ordered four out-of-state strike teams and added fixed-wing aircraft support, while KDOT sent water tenders, graders and transport trucks to sustain operations.
- Officials warn that wind, heat and dry lightning could test fire lines, and one firefighter was treated and released after a minor head injury.