06/14/2026
At approximately 1300 yesterday a string of small fires were reported along East Lyman Road. We were able to contain the fires to the road ditch and avoid spreading into heavier fuels to the north and south. A total of 8 personell and 3 apparatus were on scene until all hot spots were extinguished. This fire is suspected to have been started by a vehicle dragging a chain or other means of producing heat/sparks, and was likely responsible for lighting several other fires in Mitchell Volunteer Fire Department's district as well.
We urge everyone to please be diligent and inspect your vehicles for issues that can cause sparks. Even with green grass in the ditches, there is still a heavy, dry, dead layer of fuels under the green grass and with current drought conditions this can lead to some very volatile fire conditions if conditions are right.
We were also called to a fire on Friday evening called in as a possible structure fire as flames were seen taller than surrounding buildings accompanied by a large plume of black smoke. Upon arrival, it was determined that this was an unpermitted burn of heavy fuels,logs and other debris. This fire was immediately extinguished and buried to avoid embers being blown into adjacent structures and tree rows. This burn was conducted under red flag conditions, and was in no way authorized by the Lyman-Kiowa Volunteer Fire Department.
There are currently NO burn permits authorized in the district, with the exception of irrigation districts that have a prescribed fire plan with very detailed criteria that must be met in order to conduct a burn. We would like to remind everyone that no burning of any kind is to be conducted without first obtaining a burn permit, and absolutely no burning is to take place on Red flag days. Unpermitted burning and burning on Red flag days can carry some serious legal penalties, up to and including felony arson charges if burning is intentionally conducted on Red flag days.
