March 9, 2017
Kansas Forest Service 'all hands on deck' with state fires
Submitted by Jennifer Williams
All Kansas Forest Service fire staff are fully engaged in the multiple fires around the state.
As of March 7, Eric Ward, fire planning specialist, was in Dodge City; Rodney Redinger, fire training specialist, was in Hutchinson with several of Kansas Forest Service's seasonal fire staff, and Charles R. Hauck, fire program coordinator and Jason Hartman, fire protection specialist, are assisting at the State Emergency Operations Center.
Kansas Forest Service is assisting with incident management teams in Reno and Ford/Clark county areas, and coordinating incoming aircraft and strike teams.
State forester Larry Biles traveled to Hutchinson March 7 to welcome the Rocky Mountain Area Type 2 Blue Incident Management Team, who are an interagency incident management team that comes together to manage all-hazard emergency incidents. The team are fire and emergency professionals from state, local and federal land management, and emergency agencies, and will assist on the fire situation in Kansas.