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Kansas wildfire largely contained; some costs more than $1M

Gov. Sam Brownback and Maj. Gen. Lee Tafanelli, Kansas Adjutant General's Department, meet with 1st Battalion, 108th Aviation Regiment Soldiers fighting the wildfire-photo Kan. National Guard
Gov. Sam Brownback and Maj. Gen. Lee Tafanelli, Kansas Adjutant General’s Department, meet with 1st Battalion, 108th Aviation Regiment Soldiers fighting the wildfire-photo Kan. National Guard

MEDICINE LODGE, Kan. (AP) — The Latest on the wildfire that has burned at least 620 square miles of land in Kansas and Oklahoma since last week.

10:30 a.m.

Some costs of battling the largest wildfire in Kansas history have so far been tallied at more than $1 million.

Barber County Attorney Gaten Wood told The Wichita Eagle  that full damage estimates from the fire haven’t been totaled. But he says the cost of resources from outside fire departments and the use of Kansas National Guard Black Hawk helicopters to dump water on the fire had mounted to more than $1 million.

Wood says that estimate doesn’t include Barber County’s costs, some state costs or damage to homes, property and livestock.

The Kansas Forest Service says crews will patrol areas Monday hit by the wildfire that has burned at least 620 square miles in Oklahoma and Kansas since last week.

The service says the fire was 90 percent contained Sunday, and 81 percent contained in Barber County, Kansas, where most of the damage has occurred.

Kansas Army National Guard Soldiers cleared nearly three inches of snow from Black Hawk helicopters March 27 to prepare them for more reconnaissance and fire suppression missions throughout the day.-photo Kan. National Guard
Kansas Army National Guard Soldiers cleared nearly three inches of snow from Black Hawk helicopters March 27 to prepare them for more reconnaissance and fire suppression missions throughout the day.-photo Kan. National Guard

The National Weather Service says winds up to 30 mph, with 40 mph gusts, are expected to hit the sparsely populated fire zone Monday and Tuesday. However an increase in humidity Tuesday coupled with 4 inches of snow that fell Sunday could help firefighters.

The Kansas Adjutant General’s Office says six homes were destroyed. No one has been seriously injured.

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