Elk County Rural Fire Department

03/31/2026

Burn Permits will be available after 3pm today. The winds are expected to significantly reduce this evening and rains forecast over next few days could hinder or delay the ability to burn.

03/29/2026

With high winds of 30+mph for most of today (3/29) no burn permits will be issued. Same conditions are forecast for Monday as well.

Please make sure any burns you may have done yesterday are out or safe.

Today, Monday, and Tuesday will feature VERY HIGH grassland fire danger areawide, due to above average temperatures and stout/gusty south-southwest winds. A strong cold front is slated to blast south through the region Tuesday, switching winds to northerly. Not anticipating a Red Flag Warning any of these days though given marginal relative humidity mostly in the 30s percent. Nevertheless, given the fuel load, forecast wind speeds, and above average temperatures, any fires that get going may be difficult to get under control.

03/28/2026

03/27/2026

With the Winds beginning to slow down and the humidity rising Burn Permits are now being issued.

Please remember to notify the Elk County Sheriff's office at 620-374-2108 before you burn and again when your burn is out.

03/27/2026

No Burn Permits will be issued today 3/27.

Wind Advisory this morning. Winds will gust up to 40mph early and then let up some by noon but still expected to exceed 25mph for most of the day.

Very High fire danger will continue to be a concern for much of the
area on Friday through Tuesday each afternoon. Post-frontal
northerly winds and drier air will be the primary driver on Friday
while breezy south to southwest winds return on Saturday through
Tuesday. Temperatures will once again warm above normal on Sunday through Tuesday.

03/27/2026

Well said.

03/26/2026

EXTREME and peaking into CATASTROPHIC Grassland Fire Danger today. Red Flag Warning has been issued. Burn ban will be in effect all day and no burn permits will be issued.

If you observe smoke Dial 911 and report it to the Elk County Sheriff's Office.

From NWS:
RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 1 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 9 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR EXTREME GRASSLAND FIRE DANGER FOR ALL OF CENTRAL AND SOUTH CENTRAL KANSAS AND PARTS OF SOUTHEAST KANSAS...

The National Weather Service in Wichita has issued a Red Flag Warning for extreme grassland fire danger, which is in effect from 1 PM this afternoon to 9 PM CDT this evening. The Fire Weather Watch is no longer in effect.

* Extreme Grassland Fire Danger...

* Winds...Southwest 20 to 30 mph with gusts up to 45 mph.

* Relative Humidity...As low as 22 percent.

* Impacts...Any fires that develop will have the potential to spread quickly and behave erratically.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A red flag warning means that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now, or will shortly. A combination of strong winds, low relative humidity and warm temperatures can contribute to extreme fire behavior.

03/25/2026

A Fire Weather Watch has been issued due to tomorrow's forecast weather conditions of 40+ mph winds and low humidity. Extreme Fire Danger is expected. No burn permits will be issued tomorrow.

From NWS:
FIRE WEATHER WATCH IN EFFECT FROM THURSDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH THURSDAY EVENING FOR EXTREME GRASSLAND FIRE DANGER FOR ALL OF CENTRAL AND SOUTH CENTRAL KANSAS AND PARTS OF SOUTHEAST KANSAS...

The National Weather Service in Wichita has issued a Fire Weather Watch for extreme grassland fire danger, which is in effect from Thursday afternoon through Thursday evening.

* Extreme Grassland Fire Danger...

* Winds...Southwest 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 45 mph, shifting to the north behind a strong cold front.

* Relative Humidity...As low as 21 percent.

* Impacts...Any fires that develop will have the potential to spread quickly and behave erratically.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A fire weather watch means that critical fire weather conditions are forecast to occur. Listen for later forecasts and possible red flag warnings.

03/22/2026

‼️🚩🔥
Red Flag in effect with today's Fire Danger EXTREME however it peaks up into CATASTROPHIC around 3pm. We will have a period of very dangerous conditions this afternoon.

No Burn Permits will be issued today.

👉Please report any signs of smoke to the Sheriff's Office immediately!

From NWS:

RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR EXTREME GRASSLAND FIRE DANGER FOR AREAS ALONG AND WEST OF THE FLINT HILLS...

The National Weather Service in Wichita has issued a Red Flag Warning for extreme grassland fire danger, which is in effect from 9 AM to 8 PM CDT Sunday. The Fire Weather Watch is no longer
in effect.

* Extreme Grassland Fire Danger...

* Winds...Southwest at 20 to 25 mph this afternoon becoming northwest behind a cold front on Sunday with speeds increasing to 25 to 35 with gusts up to 45 mph.

* Relative Humidity...As low as 11 percent.

* Impacts...Any fires that develop will have the potential to spread quickly and behave erratically.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A red flag warning means that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now, or will shortly. A combination of strong winds, low relative humidity and warm temperatures
can contribute to extreme fire behavior.

03/22/2026

We received several phone calls regarding today's burn ban. Rural Fire, its members or leaders do not have the authority to impose a burn ban. That authority has always resided with the board of Commissioners. Up until March of 2025 rural fire would recommend a burn ban but its implementation was always at the commission's prerogative. In March of 2025 the county burn regulations Resolution 21-02 was revised. To make the process of burn bans consistent and fair and add common sense burn practices while respecting private property rights, language was added that now automatically triggered a burn ban when weather conditions meet a certain threshold instead of by fire department recommendations. That threshold is wind greater than 25 mph or humidity less than 15%. Both conditions make controlling a fire difficult or even impossible. Also language that was already in place since the original regulations were adopted is no burning is allowed on days a Red Flag Warning was issued by the NWS. The original language also set the requirement for notifying the Sheriff's Office of intent to burn. The county burn permits are your proof of that notification.

We realize this mornings weather was prime burning conditions but we do not control the issuance of Red Flag Warnings however it was issued for a reason. The day may have started prime but the conditions are deteriorating into dangerous fire conditions. Maybe some burns could be over quickly and be ok but some cant however burn bans are in effect for the entire day. Some counties including some neighboring counties instituted burn bans 2 to 3 days in advance of this weekend to eliminate any reckless burning or long lasting embers that could rekindle.

So to summarize per county Resolution when any one of the following conditions are met a burn ban is automatically in effect.
1. Red Flag Warning issued by NWS.
2. The Grass Fire Danger Index is designated EXTREME or higher by the NWS.
3. Wind speeds of 25 MPH
4. Humidity lower than 15%.

We hope this clarifies any confusion and appreciate everyone's cooperation.

03/21/2026

🚩🚩🔥🔥
RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 10 PM CDT THIS EVENING...

FIRE WEATHER WATCH IN EFFECT FROM THIS EVENING THROUGH SUNDAY EVENING...

⚠️BURN BAN IN EFFECT. NO BURN PERMITS WILL BE ISSUED TODAY.

Breezy southwest winds will combine with a very dry low level airmass leading to extreme fire danger over parts of central, south central and southeast Kansas on Saturday. A cold front will arrive on Sunday shifting winds to the northwest and ushering in some cooler, more seasonable air. Northwest winds may gust to around 40 mph at times,
resulting in extreme grassland fire danger for much of the area and
a fire weather watch remains in effect on Sunday.