Prairie Fire Forces Kansas Evacuations

More than 10,000 acres of prairie burned in southeastern Kansas on Wednesday, forcing the evacuation of an elementary school and a neighborhood, authorities said.

No injuries were reported and the blaze was brought under control by late afternoon, fire officials said. Gov. Kathleen Sebelius declared Butler County a state of disaster emergency.

One unoccupied house used to store antiques was destroyed and another home sustained minor damage. The fire burned at least three oil storage tanks and a few outbuildings.

Oil Hill Elementary School northwest of El Dorado was evacuated. Kathy Guy, assistant director of Butler County Emergency Management, said about 100 homes were evacuated as a precaution.

At one point, the fire closed both the Kansas Turnpike at El Dorado and Kansas 196 from Potwin to K-254. Those highways were reopened by late afternoon, the Kansas Highway Patrol said.

Guy said the blaze started when the tongue of a trailer popped off its hitch and dragged on the pavement, kicking up sparks.