Grass fire consumes more than 1,300 acres in southern Platte County

More than 100 firefighters from several agencies battled a grass fire Thursday in southern Platte County.

Heavy winds drove the flames across more than 1,300 acres of rural land by 3 p.m., said Richard Carrizzo, fire chief for the Southern Platte Fire Protection District. The area has seen grass fires before, but Thursday’s blaze was unusually large, Carrizzo said.

“What happens as the wind changes is it is almost pushing the firefighters back,” he said.

The fire started about 10 a.m. near the Centennial Bridge, which links Platte and Leavenworth counties over the Missouri River, when a prison lawn mower seized up and began shooting sparks.

From there the fire spread, causing the closure of Missouri 92 as far north as the community of Beverly.

Concerned that the fire could reach Beverly, firefighters used bulldozers to create earthen barriers.

No injuries have been reported in the fire.

But the fire was still not under control Thursday afternoon, and firefighters from Platte County and Kansas City continued to work.

This story was originally published February 18, 2016 at 4:11 PM with the headline "Grass fire consumes more than 1,300 acres in southern Platte County."