Extreme weather paves way for Kansas, Oklahoma fires

Grasslands were unusually lush by the end of last summer, but the parched winter months turned the vegetation into fuel for the recent wildfires that were fanned by unusually strong winds, said Mary Knapp, assistant state climatologist at Kansas State University.

The unusual conditions have led officials to warn ranchers to be extra cautious this year when conducting controlled burns to suppress invasive plants and improve rangeland for grazing.

Several of the smaller Kansas blazes have started when embers from controlled burns blew onto unburnt land when the wind speeds increased in subsequent days, said Jennifer Williams, a spokeswoman for the Kansas Forest Service.