Shawnee County Fire District 4

Shawnee County Fire District 4 Welcome to the official page of Shawnee County Fire District #4!
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Follow along for updates on local emergencies, community events, safety tips, and a behind-the-scenes look at your fire department in action. Shawnee County Fire District #4 is an evolving agency located on the western side of Shawnee County, Kansas, which is home to the state capital, Topeka. SCFD #4 responds to roughly 240 calls per year; consisting of medical emergencies, motor vehicle crashes,

wildland/brush fires, structure fires, HAZMAT and Special Rescue incidents, and many other various emergencies which occur along Interstate 70, K4 HWY, western Shawnee County and eastern Wabaunsee County. SCFD #4 is comprised of professionally trained, paid-on-call volunteers who dedicate their time and in some cases, money; to the response efforts of emergencies within the district. District 4 currently has 2 fire stations - one located at I70 and Valencia, while the original station is located in Dover. The department maintains and responds with a complement of (9) apparatus; (3) brush trucks, (2) Class A Engines, (2) 2000 gallon water tankers/tenders, and (2) rescue trucks. We are grateful to be supported by an amazing local community and fire board, while always seeking dedicated volunteers!!

Training RecapToday, Shawnee County Fire District 4 hosted an impromptu vehicle extrication training after a class earli...
05/27/2026

Training Recap

Today, Shawnee County Fire District 4 hosted an impromptu vehicle extrication training after a class earlier in the week left us with vehicles still available for hands-on use.

Crews were able to practice vehicle stabilization, tool placement, access points, and coordinated extrication techniques in a realistic training environment. Training opportunities like this help our firefighters continue building the skills needed to operate safely and effectively at motor vehicle accidents and rescue incidents.

Thank you to Mission Township Fire Department for coming out to train with us and for their continued willingness to work together. Strong partnerships and shared training opportunities help improve service for all of our communities.

Memorial DayToday, Shawnee County Fire District  #4 pauses to remember and honor the brave men and women who gave their ...
05/25/2026

Memorial Day

Today, Shawnee County Fire District #4 pauses to remember and honor the brave men and women who gave their lives in service to our country.

Their sacrifice allows us to enjoy the freedoms we have today, and we are forever grateful for their courage, dedication, and selfless service.

As you spend time with family and friends this Memorial Day, we ask that you take a moment to remember those who never made it home.

We remember. We honor. We are grateful.

05/21/2026

Over 200 firefighters from at least 52 counties and 7 states left their jobs, families, and traveled hundreds of miles to help protect the life and property of those in Clark, Meade, and Morton Counties. Join us in thanking these dedicated firefighters who represented these counties and states for all their hard work.

Firefighters from Anderson, Barber, Barton, Brown, Butler, Camanche, Cherokee, Clark, Coffey, Cowley, Crawford, Dickinson, Edwards, Ellis, Finney, Ford, Geary, Grant, Gray, Greenwood, Hamilton, Haskell, Hodgeman, Jackson, Jefferson, Johnson, Kearny, Kiowa, Kingman, Labette, Lane, Lincoln, Lyon, Marion, Marshall, McPherson, Meade, Miami, Mitchell, Montgomery, Morton, Ness, Osage, Ottawa, Pawnee, Pratt, Reno, Rice, Riley, Rush, Saline, Scott, Sedgwick, Seward, Shawnee, Stanton, Stevens, Sumner, and Wyandotte.

Engine crews and additional support also came from Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, and Wyoming.

Many in Clark, Meade, and Morton Counties have a long road ahead of them. As this phase of the fire ends, please continue to keep these communities in your thoughts and support those rebuilding in its aftermath. The strength, resilience, and generosity shown over the past week are a powerful reminder that in times of crisis, neighbors helping neighbors make all the difference.

On his way home from the fire area, Southeast District Fire Management Officer Aaron Williams captured a striking rainbow stretching across the sky in Clark County. After days of smoke, exhaustion, and difficult fire conditions, the image felt like a fitting reminder of this past week. Storms eventually give way to clearer skies, and even in the hardest moments, there are signs of hope and resilience ahead.

05/20/2026

Wildland Task Force Update

All members and apparatus from the Shawnee County Wildland Task Force were demobilized and released from the incident this morning. Crews made the long journey home from Ashland and arrived back in Shawnee County this afternoon, where they are now back in service.

While deployed, our personnel and apparatus worked alongside fire departments and task forces from across Kansas, as well as crews from Colorado, Oklahoma, and Wyoming. They also operated with numerous state resources and support personnel.

An incident of this size has many moving parts, and we are proud that Shawnee County was able to play a role in helping bring multiple large grass fires under containment.

Attached to this post is a video showing only a small portion of the fire conditions crews encountered while operating on this incident.

You should be proud not only of SCFD #4, but of all Shawnee County fire departments involved in this deployment. That includes the personnel and apparatus that made the journey to southwest Kansas, as well as the departments and personnel who stayed behind to ensure Shawnee County continued to receive high-quality fire and rescue services here at home.

We would also like to thank the local residents and communities in southwest Kansas for their support and hospitality toward the departments that responded. We are also grateful for the continued support from our own community here in Shawnee County. Your encouragement means a great deal to the firefighters and departments involved in this deployment.

This deployment included the following assets:

Silver Lake Fire Department
- Brush 63

Shawnee County Fire District #2 - Auburn Fire
- Brush 53

Shawnee County Fire District 4
- Brush 82
- Tender 80

Shawnee Heights Fire District
- Brush 24
- Tender 24
- Utility 23
- UTV 23

Soldier Township
- Brush 71
- Car 71

MTAA Police & Fire Department
- Squad 10

Wildland Task Force UpdateThe Shawnee County Wildland Task Force spent the majority of yesterday assisting local resourc...
05/20/2026

Wildland Task Force Update

The Shawnee County Wildland Task Force spent the majority of yesterday assisting local resources with mop-up operations in the areas that burned the previous day.

This work included wetting down hot spots, cutting trees, moving fuel away from fire lines, and coordinating with the Kansas Fire Marshal and Kansas Forest Service for aircraft water drops.

During the day, the Shawnee County Task Force split assignments to support multiple divisions. Half of the task force worked in the Alpha Division, north of Highway 160, while the other half operated in the Delta Division, south of Highway 160.

Mop-up operations are a critical part of wildland firefighting. Even after the main body of fire has been controlled, hidden heat, deep-seated embers, and changing weather conditions can quickly lead to rekindles if crews do not continue working the area.

Two personnel from Shawnee County Fire District #4 traveled to southwest Kansas to relieve our members who have been operating in the area for the past 48 hours.

Our Lieutenant assigned to Tender 80 has extended his deployment and will remain in Ashland to continue assisting with ongoing fire protection and support operations.

Our crews remain committed to supporting the local incident and protecting the communities affected by these fires. We are proud of the hard work, long hours, and dedication shown by all firefighters operating across southwest Kansas.

As always, Shawnee County fire departments remain staffed and ready to respond to emergencies here at home. We appreciate the continued support from our community as our crews continue this deployment.

Wildland Task Force UpdateYesterday, Shawnee County Wildland Task Force 1 and the Tri-County Wildland Task Force were ha...
05/19/2026

Wildland Task Force Update

Yesterday, Shawnee County Wildland Task Force 1 and the Tri-County Wildland Task Force were hard at work assisting with fire mitigation and structure protection near Ashland, Kansas.

As weather conditions changed throughout the day, extremely hazardous fire weather developed in the late afternoon. Multiple wind shifts made containment efforts very difficult, and the fire began moving toward the town of Ashland. Out of caution, local resources evacuated the town.

Firefighters from both of our task forces, along with multiple other task forces from across the state, worked through the evening to stop the fire’s progression. Because of those efforts, crews were able to extinguish and hold the fire line, preventing it from reaching Ashland last night.

Local resources have requested that Shawnee County units remain in the area to continue assisting with fire protection due to multiple active fires. Your Shawnee County fire departments have once again stepped up and answered the call. Relief crews will be en route this morning to swap out personnel, and this deployment extension may last up to another 48-hour operational period.

Our crews are now entering Day 6 of this response and remain ready to assist wherever needed.

While we continue to support communities in southwest Kansas, we want to reassure our residents that our home districts remain staffed, protected, and ready to respond to emergencies here at home. These deployments are made possible through strong cooperation between local fire departments, allowing us to help others while still maintaining coverage for our own communities.

We sincerely appreciate the continued support, encouragement, and prayers from our community. Your support means a great deal to the firefighters working long hours away from home and to the crews standing ready here locally.

05/18/2026

πŸ”₯ Wildfire Evening Update - May 17, 2026πŸ”₯

As we close out day four of this fight against the fires burning across southwest Kansas, we are reminded once again that Mother Nature can be relentless. Today brought powerful winds that tested every firefighter on the line, and forecasts show similar conditions expected Monday.

Even in the face of these challenges, firefighters continue working tirelessly, putting themselves in harm’s way to protect lives, homes, livestock, and communities. Their courage, endurance, and selfless service inspire all of us, and we are deeply grateful for every hour they spend on the fireline.

Our hearts are also with the residents impacted by these fires. Many families are facing uncertainty, exhaustion, and loss after an already long and difficult fire season. Please know: you are not alone. The safety and well-being of our communities remain our highest priority.

We will continue standing beside our firefighters and our fellow Kansans, providing support wherever and however we can until these fires are under control and recovery begins.

Active Fires:
πŸ”₯ Wolf Canyon Fire
Southwest Meade County. Burned into Oklahoma and then back into Kansas.
6,822 acres
50% contained.

πŸ”₯ Meade County Complex 1
Largest fire in Meade County. Located south of the town of Meade and around Meade State Lake. Active fire behavior this afternoon pushed toward the Meade community. Residents should remain ready to go if needed. Kansas Forest Service remains engaged in the operational support of this fire at the request of the fire department. Task forces from out of state have arrived to begin integrating into operations.
46,304 acres
0% contained

πŸ”₯ Meade County Complex 2
Located just east of Complex 1.
18,394 acres

πŸ”₯ Proffitt Lake Fire
Located on the Meade/Clark County line
17,968 acres

πŸ”₯ Meade County Fire 2 - 12,46 acres
Meade County Fire 3 - 1,999 acres

πŸ”₯ 500-Acre Pond Fire
Located in Clark County, east of the Proffitt Lake Fire.
2,621 acres
πŸ”₯ Herman Range Fire
Located in Clark County, just northeast of the 500-acre Pond Fire
6,024 acres
500-Acre Pond Fire and the Herman Range fire are very active this evening. They are beginning to burn together.
Residents in Minneola should remain aware of the fire activity in their area, as it is expected to remain high through the night and tomorrow. Firefighters are actively fighting to slow the spread of the fire to safe values at risk tonight.

πŸ”₯ Bouziden Range Fire
The largest of the fires is burning in Clark County, just south and west of Clark State Fishing Lake.
13,108 acres

πŸ”₯ Lexington Fire
Located in Clark County, east of Clark State Fishing Lake and Wildlife Area and west of Highway 34.
1,441 acres

Regional Map courtesy of the Kansas Division of Emergency Management

Wildland Task Force UpdateIt has been a very busy morning for your local fire departments.A new task force, named the Tr...
05/17/2026

Wildland Task Force Update

It has been a very busy morning for your local fire departments.

A new task force, named the Tri-County Wildland Fire Task Force, has been formed with units from Shawnee County, Osage County, and Jackson County. Shawnee County Fire District #4 currently has one firefighter and Tender 80 assigned to this group. They departed at approximately 3:00 AM and have recently arrived in southwest Kansas.

In addition, another group of Shawnee County firefighters departed at 05:00 AM to relieve the first Shawnee County Wildland Task Force crew, allowing those firefighters to return home after completing their 48-hour deployment. We have 2 firefighters in this group to relieve the 2 firefighters that have been deployed.

Due to the increased fire weather danger and the size of the current fires, the demand for firefighting resources has grown. These fires in southwest Kansas are significant, and resources from across the state are responding to help mitigate the emergency.

While we are sending resources to assist other communities, we want to reassure our patrons that your local fire departments remain staffed and prepared to respond to emergencies here at home. Mutual aid and task force deployments are a vital part of the fire service, and when others call for help, we answer.

Wildland Task Force UpdateThe Shawnee County Wildland Task Force arrived at the incident location and has been assisting...
05/16/2026

Wildland Task Force Update

The Shawnee County Wildland Task Force arrived at the incident location and has been assisting with multiple fires across Meade County, Kansas, alongside other state firefighting resources.

We are currently working on coordinating relief crews to swap out our current task force members as they complete their first 48-hour operational period tomorrow.

Below are several photos from Brush 82 during operations on the Meade County fire, which is actively burning and currently estimated to be around 35,000 acres.

We are proud of our crews and all agencies working together during this incident. Please keep all firefighters, emergency responders, and affected communities in your thoughts as operations continue.

More updates to come.

Address

13547 SW K4 Highway
Topeka, KS
66610

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