By Hal Lockard
Topeka Capital-Journal (Kansas)
Copyright 2006 The Topeka Capital-Journal
Rain that fell across the area Monday night and early Tuesday was like Christmas in July for area firefighters who had been busy fighting grass fires since fireworks went on sale last week.
Not all grass fires in the past week have been attributed to fireworks, but of the 30 or so that had been reported a good number are thought to have been caused by fireworks.
The Topeka Fire Department run report lists 15 runs since July 1 that were “natural vegetation” alarms, or grass fires.
The area with the next most reported grass fires was the Shawnee Heights Fire District.
Lt. Jason Schone, of Mission Township Fire Department, said statistics in that area show there have been more grass fires than usual since fireworks stands opened on June 27.
“It feels about the same.” he said. “But statistically they’re saying, yeah, we have had more.”
Shawnee Heights Fire District chief Charles Calhoon said the rain must have been a relief. The district had only one fire to douse Tuesday, and that was in a trash can. In the seven days previous during fireworks sales firefighters had battled at least 10 grass fires.
Some of those remained under investigation with a “strong possibility” of having been started by fireworks, Calhoon said.
Rainfall amounts at the National Weather Service at Philip Billard Municipal Airport show the June rainfall total was 1.18 inches. Rainfall in Topeka this week officially was measured at 0.74 inches, according to Kris Craven, a meteorologist for the weather service.
Even with the rain, however, assistant fire chief Tom Myrick, of the Soldier Township Fire Department, said the two runs called in to that department on Tuesday were grass fires, one of which was started by fireworks.