By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT
Hays Post
Ellis County fire crews responded to a pair of grass fires this week.
The first fire was reported just before 6 p.m. Tuesday near Saline River Road and Cathedral Avenue.
According to Ellis County Assistant Fire Chief Lyle Pantle, when crews arrived on scene they found approximately 500-yard-long fire line and burnt pasture. Crews were able to get the fire under control just before 8 p.m. and stayed on scene mopping up and returned to the station at approximately 8:40 p.m.
Pantle said approximately 50 acres of pasture and open land were burned in the fire.
No cause of fire was determined.
At approximately 3:20 p.m. Wednesday, Company 5 was called to the 2400 block of East Seventh Street for a grass fire.
Pantle said the grass fire spread to a tree row and wood pile. Crews put out the fire and returned to the station at approximately 4:10 p.m.
A cause of the fire could not be determined.
The Hays area is more than 7 inches inches behind average precipitation year to date, according to the K-State Research Center in Hays.