Wildfires

Last October, wildfire sparked by an ATV consumed roughly a quarter of this living landmark in the heart of the Nebraska Sandhills. But in a man-made forest, officials say, there’s no roadmap for recovery.

It’s been one year since drought-fueled wildfires tore across western and central Kansas. For the ranchers who lost so much, the rebuilding process is far from over.

Bone-dry and windy conditions across the Midwest and Great Plains are only making it easier for wildfires to spark. The worsening drought factors mount pressure on volunteer firefighters that respond when wildfires occur.

Prescribed burns are a yearly occurrence in Missouri’s Mark Twain National Forest. Bennie Terrell, a longtime fuel specialist for the U.S. Forest Service, explains how he keeps the blazes in check.

Even with a few recent rains, much of the Great Plains are in a drought. Wildfires have swept across the grasslands and farmers are worried about how they’ll make it through the growing season.

The Kansas wildfire season is typically winding down around this time of year. But after months of drought, high winds and dry grass continue to fuel extreme wildfire conditions across the state.

Some Missouri lawmakers are trying once again to close a legal loophole and make it illegal for convicted domestic abusers to own or access firearms. Plus, fire departments in rural Kansas can’t recruit enough young people to handle triple the number of service calls.

Mothers Out Front fights for clean energy to insure a healthy future for children.

Farmers and ranchers in 13 Kansas counties are struggling to find resources to repair and rebuild their operations.

Extreme winds and drought fueled widespread grass fires across western and central Kansas earlier this month. Now, the ranchers, farmers and communities who lost so much begin to pick up the pieces.

Health and meteorology experts say the growing presence of wildfire smoke in parts of Kansas and Nebraska could pose health risks to those who breathe it in. That concern is compounded, given the likelihood that vast and intense fires from California and surrounding areas will persist.