Gov. Laura Kelly issues Emergency Declaration for wildland fire in northwest Kansas

09 November 2020

Published by https://www.ksn.com/

USA – TOPEKA, Kan. (KSNW) – Gov. Laura Kelly issued a state of disaster emergency declaration Saturday due to wildland fires in northwest Kansas.

The declaration authorizes the use of state resources and personnel to assist with response and recovery operations in affected counties that meet certain criteria.

“We want to do everything we can to support local first responders,” Kelly said. “This declaration will allow the state to posture to support local response as needed.”

The northwestern portion of the state is at a heightened fire risk through Sunday, Nov. 8. Conditions across the state are dry with low relative humidity, strong southerly winds, and an abundance of dry grass and other flammable vegetation.

Tracking wildfire in Norton County, circled black spot. High winds, low humidity, and grass/vegetation that is dried out (drought conditions and hard freeze last week). #kswx pic.twitter.com/ByvENE9liA

— Rodney Price  (@1LightningRod) November 7, 2020

The State Emergency Operations Center in Topeka is currently activated in response to the coronavirus pandemic and will be monitoring for critical fire weather across Kansas.

“Wildland fires destroy crops and grazing land, and threaten homes and lives,” said Angee Morgan, deputy director of the Kansas Division of Emergency Management. “It is important that we have resources on standby to assist local first responders get fires under control as quickly as possible.”