Riley Co., Kan. — At 10:00 a.m. Sunday, February 27, Riley County Fire District #1 was dispatched to the area near Carlson and Rosehill Road by Tuttle Creek Lake for reports of a large outdoor fire. A total of 12 apparatus, 15 volunteer firefighters, and 2 full-time staff responded. Crews worked until 7:00 p.m. Monday evening, February 28 to fully contain the fire.
An estimated 700+ acres of wildland burned. No structures were lost and no injuries were reported. The burned area was located in the north part of Riley County, near Swede Creek and the abandoned town of Cleburne.
“I want to thank the volunteer firefighters for their hard work and determination to maintain the fire line and prevent damage to buildings,” said Deputy Chief Douglas Russell. “The thick, overgrown timber and vegetation, combined with the vertical terrain and shifting winds made this a difficult fire to contain.”
The cause of the fire is undetermined. The burned land was a combination of public and private property.