News release
On Saturday morning, the Hays Fire Department and Ellis County Fire Department will be conducting live fire training of grass for USD 489 located at O’Loughlin Elementary School, 1401 Hall. This burn will provide local firefighters with training and knowledge of how to combat grass fires. With firefighters on site, they can ensure that the burn mitigation of the grass plots will be conducted safely.
The O’Loughlin School prairie plots were established in 1993 as an educational tool for USD 489, as well as for the general public. This is a designated Outdoor Wildlife Learning Site (OWLS) similar to other such sites established on school grounds across Kansas. These burns have been previously done in April or May since 1995. Stand of prairie grasses and wildflowers require occasional burning to remove excess litter, stimulate vigorous new growth and reduce the fire danger. Without burning litter accumulation suppresses new growth and the vegetation in the stand becomes decadent and cannot be duplicated by mowing or haying the grasses.