Multiple grass fires kept local firefighters busy over the weekend, with the largest fire consuming about 1,000 acres of land south of Gorham.
According to dispatch logs, at 4:30 PM Saturday, the first of several 911 calls were received by Russell Dispatch reporting a grass fire at 176th and Walters Lane.
The Gorham Fire Department responded and, due to windy conditions, requested mutual aid from the Rural Fire District 5, Paradise-Waldo-Natoma, Russell-Grant, Russell City Fire, Dorrance and Lucas Fire Departments. The Galatia and Victoria Fire Departments also responded, as well as Russell County Sheriff's Deputies, Russell County Emergency Management, Russell County EMS, volunteers with road graders, Midwest Energy, and Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism Officers.
Dispatch made contact with Midwest Energy as it was reported a sparking electrical line caused the fire.