By BEN JENSEN
Special to the Post
You may remember hearing about the Four County Fire back on Dec. 15, 2021. The fire devastated many acres in the counties of Ellis, Russell, Osborne and Rooks.
I remember the day vividly, despite being almost 200 miles from those four counties. It was the strangest day I can recall in my entire life living in Kansas. In Manhattan, the tornado sirens blew in the middle of the afternoon as high winds tore roofs off buildings. The power went off and I could smell something burning. I thought at first it could be the beginning of an electrical fire. However, as I stepped outside, ashes were falling from the sky, and the air smelled of smoke.
Unfortunately, these powerful winds were occurring across the entirety of Kansas that day. Some wind gusts were measured at speeds of 107 mph! This was even more frightening for western Kansas, especially around the Hays area, because the Kansas State Research Extension Center had not recorded any rainfall since Nov. 3. The area was vulnerable to anything that might spark a fire. Many locals concluded that the fire started from a spark of a broken power line in Ellis County. As it spread, the blaze left many people in the area wetting down their yards hoping to slow the fire before it took everything they had. The fire devastated the landscape, leaving many farmers, ranchers and other people fighting to save not only their lives but their livelihoods. The people in this area will never fully recover, but many believe it will take two to three years for the area to return to some sense of normal. It is important to remember that the Four County area still needs help! We must not forget how devastating this day was and that the recovery efforts have not ended.
Stephanie Dickerson, a multi-generational ranch owner in Paradise commented that, "Right now, the area is still in need of new fencing supplies and labor to recover the old fences and the debris from the fire."
The Four County Fire showed the Kansas Legislature a change was necessary for the future. In preparation for future wildfires, a bill passed allowing individuals to purchase fencing supplies without any sales tax at all. Another crucial thing to remember is that wildfires are hard to predict and can happen in any rural community. Insurance Commissioner Vicki Schmidt would like to remind people it is important to check your insurance plans to ensure you are covered for disasters like this wildfire.
On Dec. 15, rancher Chris Pelton had gotten a call that the fire was 7 miles southwest of Paradise and headed toward his land very quickly. He attempted to hold off the fires until his shop was engulfed in flames. Luckily, he made a quick escape but lost nearly all his buildings and many of his family possessions. He managed to save his dog, Archie, from his burning shed before he left for his own safety. Pelton remarked, "It was amazing to watch how people came to help with the recovery."
The fire did far more damage to soil than an average wildfire because it burned off the crop residue from many fields. This allowed powerful winds to blow the extremely dry topsoil away. Additionally, it took away people's lifelong family homes, fences, livestock and businesses. Many families had started these businesses from the ground up or maintained them for many generations.
This tragedy is significant to many people in these communities. It is evident they needed help and assistance in some way after this unpredictable and catastrophic event. An amazing saving grace effort came from people in the surrounding communities donating resources and traveling to the four counties to help with the wildfire recovery effort. The Kansas Livestock Foundation even managed to distribute two million dollars of funds to 91 Kansas applicants that were affected by the wildfire. The funds were donated by 2,100 generous contributors from 41 states. Applicants lost more than 2,100 head of livestock and about 750 miles of fencing.
Let us not forget the wildfires on Dec. 15, 2021, which show us that no matter how much certainty we have in our future, it can all be taken away by events outside of our control. However, what took place after the storms and wildfires are what gives me hope for our future as a country. There are still so many caring people who will be kind and helpful to people who are fighting off the worst moments of their lives. Please, be thankful for everything you have. If this story affects you in any way, please never be afraid to give to somebody who truly needs help in the future. It could make all the difference in the world.
Ben Jensen is a a K-State graduate from Republic County. He was Sen. Elaine Bowers' legislative intern in 2021 and 2022 and now works for KCLY/KFRM as a farm broadcaster. Originally written in the spring of 2022. Republished with permission.