Investigation reveals ember from old campfire sparked 200-acre fire in Douglas County

DOUGLAS COUNTY, Kan. (KCTV) - An ember from an old, unattended campfire sparked an approximately 200-acre fire in Douglas County, Kansas, on Friday, officials said. As a result, the Douglas County Consolidated Fire District No. 1 and the Kansas State Fire Marshal have classified the fire’s cause as accidental.

Monday, Fire Chief John Mathis of the Douglas County Consolidated Fire District No. 1 urged residents to fully extinguish their campfires before leaving, in hopes of avoiding another fire like the one on Friday, March 14.

“It’s important to stir the ashes with water until no smoke or heat persists,” Mathis said. “Your campfire should be cold to the touch before you leave. Everyone plays a valuable role in protecting property and lives by preventing fires.”

The large grassfire on Friday was in the area near N. 1600 and E. 400 roads, east of Stull. It was contained by Saturday, March 15, after firefighters from multiple agencies in Douglas County and the surrounding area battled winds.

An evacuation notice was issued for roughly two hours Friday night. Officials said no structures were destroyed and no injuries were reported.

Days later, the National Weather Service issued a red flag warning for Monday, March 17 and Tuesday, March 18, due to dangerous fire conditions based on high winds and dry conditions.