A large grass fire three miles northeast of Hutchinson Monday, April 9, threatened at least three homes, but no property was lost.
The fire began at the Rebecca and Val Rogers farm, 20634 Oday Ave. Fire Chief Brad Emans said Rebecca Rogers was burning some garbage and Christmas trees west of their home when the fire got out of control about 3 p.m.
Firefighters were able to stop the flames about 75 feet from the Rogers home, but when the light breeze shifted from north to south flames raced across a large slough toward a pair of houses along 210th Street. Emans said he was initially unable to see the fire moving north because of an intervening hillock in the middle of the slough.
Silver Lake’s fire department was called in to assist with putting out the flames south of 210th Street. Flames came within about 275 feet of one home. Emans said the fire ran out of fuel when it came to a large swath of short lawn grass south of the home. He estimated about 15 acres of slough burned.
(Terry Davis is a staff writer for the Hutchinson Leader. He can be reached at davis@hutchinsonleader.com [2].)