Large grass fires March 5th & 6th 2017...

Overview

Fire danger concerns became elevated the weekend of March 4th with conditions worsening by Monday March 6th. The extreme fire danger was the result of very strong southwest to northwest winds in excess of 50 mph along with very low relative humidity values, sometimes as low as 5%. Several large grass fires affected central and south central Kansas starting Saturday March 4th with a couple of these continuing through Monday March 6th.

Two of the most impacted areas were just south of Wilson Lake, where on March 6th, residents were evacuated from the town of Wilson as fires approached from the northwest. Residents were eventually allowed back to their homes later that night. Another large grass fire started north of Hutchinson on Sunday March 5th but was around 90% contained by the early afternoon hours of Monday March 6th. However, the fire rapidly sparked back up early Monday evening as winds flipped around to the northwest and relative humidity values plummeted. This forced evacuations of around 10,0000 people from areas north of Hutchinson including the far northern portions of the town.

Photos & Video
Radar & Satellite

Photos & Video:

#Fire at Wilson Lake! If you live in the town of Wilson, keep your eyes open it might jump I-70 and spread south. ðŸ™ pic.twitter.com/Wb2iXjH1mH — Trooper Tod (@TrooperTodKHP) March 6, 2017	Fire is moving southeast now, this is I-70 one mile east of the Wilson exit. Fire units from several counties here, working hard. pic.twitter.com/zZHra2G16I — Trooper Tod (@TrooperTodKHP) March 7, 2017
Images from grass fire south of Wilson Lake	Images from grass fire south of Wilson Lake	Video of large grass fire near Dorrance, KS

Four Kansas Army National Guard Black Hawk helicopters continue helping with fire suppression in Reno County, Kansas, on March 7. pic.twitter.com/cbjSPhCE25 — KansasNationalGuard (@KansasGuard) March 7, 2017	Reno County wildfire 'a long way from being over': https://t.co/dVtff8NQIt #KAKEnews pic.twitter.com/SbmuVolfbN — KAKE News (@KAKEnews) March 7, 2017	Huge fire erupts north of #Hutch near the Highlands. Winds gusting. Prayers for our firefighters. @KWCH12 pic.twitter.com/pihuYGlDbQ — Deedee Sun (@KWCHDeedee) March 7, 2017
Images from the large fire north of Hutchinson	Images from the large fire north of Hutchinson	Images from the large fire north of Hutchinson	Highest wind gusts on Monday March 6th.

Smokey sunset in Wichita on March 6th

Radar & Satellite


Radar animation from March 5th showing the large fire north of Hutchinson	Satellite image from March 6th showing numerous large grass fires across southwest and central Kansas	Satellite image from the evening of March 6th showing a few of the larger fires

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