A new fire affecting mostly public property near Tuttle Creek Lake gave Riley County firefighters some challenges Monday. This one was in the area of Baldwin Park Road, north of University Park. Riley County issued a new disaster declaration to request assistance. No structures were threatened and no evacuations were said to be necessary as of late Monday evening. Crews were conducting back burning to help reduce available fuels. At Monday’s Pottawatomie County Commission meeting, Emergency Management Director Jennifer Merrow noted the lake fire and Shannon Creek fires were both well contained. No structural damage was seen. “There was some smoldering, there was back burns done to prevent further spread, so overall it was contained very well. Firefighters in the county did one heck of a job over the weekend and all of last week. They’re exhausted,” she said.
Source: 1350 KMAN
