Expected high winds up Kansas’ fire risk. Take these steps to help protect your property
The National Weather Service warned Wichitans Thursday afternoon of possible fire danger due to high winds in the area expected Friday.
“Very strong west to southwest winds Friday, with gusts up to around 60 mph at times over south-central and southeast Kansas,” NWS Wichita forecast in a Thursday morning tweet. “This will lead to extreme grassland fire danger areawide.”
Wichita is expected to see a high of 70 degrees Friday and wind gusts reaching up to 51 mph, according to the NWS.
Wichita is under a burn ban starting Saturday and lasting through April in order to prevent possible fires. The ban means during the month, no burn permits will be issued and anyone with a permit will not be allowed to burn.
With the forecast wind gusts and temperatures, it’s important to be familiar with fire season safety. March not only marks the start of spring, but also the peak of fire season in Kansas.
“This time of year, with just the change of seasons — the warming, the cooling — we start getting some active fronts coming through so this is our peak season,” said Mark Neely, fire management officer with the Kansas Forest Service.
Compared to previous years, 2023 has seen a slower start to fire season, Neely said — a good thing.
“Last year, we had fires that required state assistance. We flew aviation on fires 11 out of 12 months in Kansas last year,” Neely said. “We get fires year-round. The main difference is when we get into the summer months, some of the state receives ... enough moisture that helps us keep fires small. They don’t grow as fast as they do this time of year, when there’s no moisture in the grass.”
Neely said some fires have started this year, but none have reached a threatening size.
“The initial attack has been moderate. We’ve had fire starts, they just haven’t had the growth we’ve seen in the past couple years. I think that just has to do with the little shots of moisture we keep getting,” he said.
Neely said western and southwest Kansas are still extremely dry due to the drought-like conditions the areas have seen.
“(Those areas have) gotten a little bit of moisture here recently, but obviously it’s not enough to make up for the drought conditions we’ve experienced,” Neely said.
The U.S. Drought Monitor reports the majority of Kansas is experiencing drought conditions as of March 9.
More than half of Sedgwick County is in an “extreme drought,” the second highest level. A large swath of Kansas in the south and southwest is seeing the highest level, “exceptional drought.” The drought has resulted in low water levels in western Kansas aquifers.
Other parts of the state have seen a little more moisture.
“Going across the state, we just get a bit wetter. Particularly south, southeast Kansas has received quite a bit, so they’re doing better than most,” Neely said.
Kansas’ fire season peaks in March and April before dying down a bit over the summer. It peaks again in mid- to late November.
“After killing frost and everything dries out again, we start getting some active threats at that time of year,” Neely said.
Doing your part to prevent fires
The best way to prevent fires is to keep a close eye on your property, Neely said.
“You just want to make sure when it comes to our properties, that they stay resilient. Take care of them, clean them up,” the fire official said.
You can make sure there are no leaves building up around your house or in the gutters, check you have enough dead space around structures and establish fuel breaks on your property, which are areas used as barriers to stop fires from spreading.
If you use prescribed fire on your property, it’s important to keep an eye on the weather.
“Not just look at the day that you burn, but for multiple days. Monitor your fire, even when you think it’s out. Make sure it’s secure so we’re not burning any unwanted acres up,” Neely said.
Here are some other tips on how to protect your property from fires, from the Federal Emergency Management Agency:
- Regularly clean debris from gutters
- Install fire-resistant exterior window coverings
- Create at least 30 feet of space around your home
- Have access to water, like sprinkler systems or garden hoses
- Seal gaps around exterior walls and roofs
You can visit kansasforests.org for more tips and to see what the predicted weather and fire danger is for your area on a specific day.
This story was originally published March 14, 2023 at 1:32 PM with the headline "Expected high winds up Kansas’ fire risk. Take these steps to help protect your property."
