Great Plains Interstate Fire Compact request issued to support Kansas firefighters
Story courtesy of the Kansas Forest Service
MANHATTAN, Kan. — Additional firefighting resources are now available for use in Kansas through the Great Plains Interstate Fire Compact.
Since Sunday, several large wildfires have occurred in the northeast part of the state, stretching local fire departments that are largely made of volunteers.
“We want to do all we can to support the men and women that are full-time and volunteer firefighters. Bringing in additional resources will hopefully allow them time to get some well-deserved rest before they are called on again,” said Kansas State Forester Jason Hartman.
The resources include three engines and a task force leader from Wyoming, one engine from South Dakota and two engines from Colorado.
“By sharing resources across state lines, we can better serve our citizens in times of need,” Hartman said.
The Great Plains Interstate Fire Compact provides the state forester or other designated authority access to request resources and assistance to supplement local resources in times of critical fire conditions. Kansas Forest Service officials made a request to the Compact, in coordination with the Kansas Division of Emergency Management and other partners in the State Emergency Operations Center.
“The Kansas Response Plan allows for coordination and partnerships between local, county and state agencies. It allows us to pre-stage equipment so that we can more rapidly respond in situations like this,” said Jeff Welshans, State Emergency Operations Center manager.
The Compact resources will arrive late Monday evening into Tuesday morning and be available to assist by Tuesday afternoon. Fire weather across the state has been elevated to critical through Thursday.
FOR PRINT PUBLICATIONS: Links used in this story
Kansas Forest Service, https://www.kansasforests.org
About the Kansas Forest Service
The Kansas Forest Service is the nation’s fifth oldest state forestry agency. The agency serves rural landowners, communities, rural fire districts, forest and arboriculture industries, and citizens of the state through its Conservation Tree and Shrub Planting, Fire Management, Community Forestry, Rural Forestry, Marketing and Utilization, and Forest Health programs. The Kansas Forest Service state office is located in Manhattan, Kansas, just west of the campus of Kansas State University. The Kansas Forest Service is housed as an independent agency within K-State Research and Extension. The agency receives its direction from a mission statement that reads: “Care of natural resources and service to people through forestry.”
About K-State Research and Extension
K State Research and Extension is a short name for the Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service, a program designed to generate and distribute useful knowledge for the well being of Kansans. Supported by county, state, federal and private funds, the program has county extension offices, experiment fields, area extension offices and regional research centers statewide. Its headquarters is on the K State campus in Manhattan. For more information, visit www.ksre.ksu.edu. K-State Research and Extension is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
For more information:
Cassie Wandersee
785-532-3308
[email protected]
