05/22/2026
The Kansas Division of Emergency Management, the Kansas Forest Service, and the Kansas Fire Marshal worked around the clock to provide assistance to the communities in southwest Kansas who were dealing with fires once again this year.
The fire departments on the front lines are the true heroes once again. As the Kansas Forest Service pointed out, at least 52 (actually 56) counties, which is over 50% of the counties for the state, over 200 firefighters and 7 other states left their jobs, families, everyday life, and traveled hundreds of miles to help protect the life and property of those in Clark, Meade, and Morton Counties.
The KSFM would like to thank our partners, KDEM and KFS, for again being an important key part of this entire process. It is our privilege to work for Kansas, our counties and cities, the emergency managers, as well as all the fire departments and firefighters who are putting in the long hours in the field.
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.
