Wildfire — Clark, Kansas

2017-03-06 to 2017-03-07 · Clark, Kansas

Event narrative

There were seven separate fires. Two moved near or through Englewood, originating in Oklahoma. Another consumed several homes just north of Ashland. Four others in northern Clark County consumed several homes initially but became a monster fire as the cold front moved through.

The fires subsided during the first night but flared up the following late morning and afternoon.

As of late May there was still no real estimate of the number of dead cattle as many were never found but estimates are large, from 3 to 9 thousand head. Total acres burned in just Clark County were estimated at 425,000. There were 31 homes destroyed and 6 damaged. There were a total of 108 outbuildings destroyed and 13 others damaged. Many, many miles of fence were destroyed. Damage was estimated at $3 million but that number will likely go up with the final assessment later in the summer of 2017.

Wider weather episode

A strong low pressure center and tight pressure gradient and eventually a deeply mixed boundary layer produced strong surface winds. Winds also were very strong behind the associated cold front late in the day on the 6th. Winds picked up again on the 7th fanning residual fires. Many fires were started by downed power lines, many from weakened connections from the January ice storm. The fire in Ford county was the result of a brush pile in Dodge City that had not been fully extinguished before the dry, warm winds began.

Statewide, grass fires shut down I-70 between Russell and Sylvan Grove, and fires were reported in Clark, Cheyenne, Commanche, Ellsworth, Hodgeman, Ford, Meade, Pratt, Rawlins, Rice, Reno, Smith, Stevens and Rooks counties. Residents of Wilson in central Kansas were told to evacuate homes due to fears of fire moving north of I-70.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 690699. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.