Fire Management

Pre-settlement & early history (pre-1900s → 1900s): Fire is a natural and historic management tool on the Great Plains; Indigenous peoples, large grazers, and lightning shaped the Kansas grasslands. In modern times, the Kansas ecosystem management is rooted in that ecology and in 20th-century range management research.

1970: The Kansas Forest Service established its state office on K-State grounds (facility in 1968) and built the Rural Fire Program Shop in 1970 to manage federal excess equipment loans to rural fire departments. That shop and programs became the backbone of equipment support to volunteer departments.

1970s–present: For roughly fifty years, the Kansas Forest Service’s Fire Management Program has provided vehicles and equipment through the federal distribution programs (FEPP/FFP/EDP), free wildland training to fire departments, grants, and wildfire and prescribed fire technical support to rural fire departments across the state.

2016/2017: Major wildfire seasons: Large, wind-driven wildfire focused statewide attention on wildfire response. The Anderson Creek Fire (March 2016) burned hundreds of thousands of acres (estimates vary by dataset but commonly cited at ~278,000–400,000 acres regionally) and caused heavy local losses. A year later, the Starbuck Fire (March 2017) became the largest single wildfire in Kansas' recorded history (estimated at over 400,000acres). Those events prompted statewide reviews, a legislative audit, the formation of partnerships, and greater state-level preparedness.

2019: First dedicated state funding for wildfire: In May 2019, Kansas appropriated state funds specifically to support the Kansas Forest Service wildfire activities; a major policy milestone recognizing wildfire as a statewide responsibility beyond only federal or local funding.

2020s: continued excellence in Kansas wildland fire management. The fire program has grown its staff to provide more focused support to local communities, land managers, and fire departments. Programs such as the creation of the Kansas-specific Wildfire Risk Assessment Portal (WRAP), increased emphasis on fuels management and mitigation incentives, enhanced prevention and community outreach programs, continued no-cost wildland fire training for departments, volunteer fire assistance and grant opportunities, statewide risk assessments, and active participation in statewide wildfire action planning efforts