A high wind warning issued Friday in advance of the weekend prepped residents and first responders, but it was a busy weekend nonetheless for the Golden Belt area.
The Kansas Division of Emergency Management noted that Gov. Laura Kelly issued a verbal state of disaster extending through Saturday and Sunday, allowing resources to be used to provide state assistance.
A massive storm system crept eastward across more than a dozen states, bringing wind and critical fire alerts ranging from Texas to North Dakota.
Wind speeds topped 40 mph with occasional gusts in excess of 60 mph that brought power outages, toppled trees and fires to the region.
Though the Golden Belt fared better than some, there were still challenges to be faced by responders in several communities. Up north, I-70 was closed to both lanes of traffic in the Hays vicinity from 3-7 p.m. Saturday due to high winds, low visibility and vehicle crashes blocking the roadway.
Great Bend
In the Great Bend Community, wind was responsible for five reports with fire potential on Saturday, ranging from a blown transformer to arcing wires and debris blown into power lines.
Firefighters were called to a field fire that burned approximately 1-2 acres before being extinguished at approximately 2:37 p.m. in the 200 block of NW 30 road.
The City of Great Bend was also alerted to several reports of large limbs and trees blown into the roadway, necessitating their removal.
High winds over the weekend also created technical difficulties for Hits 106.9 Radio in Great Bend through Monday morning. The station remained available to listeners through its app for livestream.
Hoisington
At approximately 4:19 p.m. Saturday, the Hoisington Fire Department responded to a report of a tank battery with its gun barrels on fire at NW 70 Road and NW 30 Ave.
Hoisington Fire Chief Jerry Stricker reported that high winds with occasional zero visibility made response difficult. Firefighters with assistance from the Olmitz department discovered three gun barrels engulfed in flames upon arrival.
Two hours later, the wind subsided and the fiberglass barrels were melted sufficiently to allow them to burn themselves out through the night, Stricker said.
Static electricity is blamed for the cause of the ignition, Stricker noted.
Hoisington firefighters were also assisted by the Barton County Sheriff’s Office, Kansas Highway Patrol and Barton County Dispatch.
Pawnee County
The Pawnee County Sheriff’s Office reported several motorist assists, with zero visibility observed from roadways at about 4 p.m. Saturday.
Stafford County
Power outages through the weekend affected emergency dispatch, as phone calls except 911 were being routed through a cell phone. Outage calls were requested to be routed through the non-emergency line, so as not to tie up 911 lines for emergencies.
As both St. John and Stafford generate their own power, calls into dispatch were utilized by city crews to determine where the outages were occurring.
While power was restored by Monday afternoon in St. John, crews were continuing to work to restore power in Stafford throughout the day.
