RAWLINS COUNTY —Authorities are working to determine the cause of rural northwest Kansas fire.
Just before 9p.m. Tuesday, Rawlins County Rural Fire District #2 was paged to a large fire at a private gun range at Blakeman, an unincorporated community five miles west of Atwood, according to the fire district.
Volunteer firefighters from the fire district responded.
Crews battled the raging flames, heavy smoke and fought the wind for approximately 3 hours to bring the fire under control. Law enforcement helped direct traffic on U.S. 36 as high winds were causing near zero visibility. Rawlins County EMS kept a watchful eye on the firefighters who were working in the extreme heat and heavy smoke.
Crews continued to put out hot spots for another 2 hours. Farmers showed up with discs and water. There were no structures, lives or livestock lost or damaged in the fire that burned approximately 265 acres of pasture, cropland and fence post.
Fire Chief Chris Neirmeier requested and received assistance from McDonald, Herndon, Bird City and Decatur County to battle the fire. The cause of this fire is still under investigation.