Kansas has been extremely dry and windy this year. On March 22nd a fire that began in Oklahoma rapidly spread into Kansas driven by 20-30 mph winds with 40 mph gusts burned 625 square miles. A surprise snow fall on Easter morning greatly helped the beleagured fire fighters get it under control. These pictures were taken on March 29th and the fire was 98% contained.
Forest fires are an important part of the cycle of life for the forest. While this looks sad, vegetation and wildlife will return and in interesting different ways. This is very well documented and I've witnessed it myself.
These are very interesting, hauntingly beautiful photos. But Morris is right, such fires are a natural and beneficial part of grasslands. Please return in a few months and a year for more pictures so we can see what happens next.
Get used to areas burning that didn't do so in the past as global warming starts its destructive path northward. A whole new ecosystem is in the works.
Thanks all for the positive comments and insights. This fire was so hot that it twisted metal roadside guard rails just outside Medicine Lodge Kansas. Today (April 6) our Wichita morning paper sited another Oklahoma fire heading for the same Kansas county (Barber) that the pictures were taken. The wind is blowing 24 mph and gusting to 38 mph as I type this.
