WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — The U.S. Forest Service said it plans to intentionally burn almost 1,500 acres of Kansas grassland starting in March. The fires will be in Morton County in the state’s southwest corner.
The U.S. Forest Service said the Cimarron National Grassland will conduct the prescribed burns as part of the hazardous fuels reduction project. In this case, the fuel is the grass that threatens farmland, ranchland, and property if a wildfire breaks out.
Officials say the areas that will be burned have been prepared in advance to ensure safety. Skilled fire crews will start the fires and stay on the scene to monitor them. Weather will be taken into consideration before the fires are started.
The locations of the four prescribed fires in Morton County are:
- 152 acres, nine miles north of Elkhart
- 495 acres, five miles northwest of Rolla
- 377 acres, six miles southeast of Richfield
- 474 acres, six miles southeast of Richfield, one-quarter mile from the previous location
The U.S. Forest Service said its team will be monitoring smoke continually to evaluate impacts, which are expected to be low due to the remote locations of these prescribed burns. However, people in Morton County and possibly outside the county may notice the smoke.
“By conducting these managed prescribed burns, we’re helping to preserve the health of the grasslands,” Acting Cimarron National Grassland District Ranger Jeff Outhier said.
He said many ecosystems historically have relied on fire to effectively clean away dead material, provide conditions for natural regeneration of native plants, and recycle nutrients back into the soil.
The prescribed burns in Morton County will also improve the habitat for the Lesser Prairie Chicken.
Grassland visitors can expect recurring closures to affected areas during fire and monitoring operations.