WESTFALL – Officials believe a welder or a cutting torch started a grass fire Friday in portions of Ellsworth and Lincoln counties.

Ellsworth Fire Chief Bob Kepka said the fire started just after 3 p.m. near Avenue A and Kansas 14 just north of Interstate 70.

Crews from Ellsworth, Lincoln, Wilson, Kanopolis, Holyrood, Westfall and Salina District 3 spent four hours Friday to bring the fire under control. Crews were also on the scene for several hours Saturday to clean up.

The fire burned an area approximately a mile by 3/8 of a mile wide. The majority of the property burned was in Lincoln County, according to Kepka.

No injuries were reported.