TOPEKA (KSNT) – Highway closures, emergency disaster declarations, and FEMA assistance are happening around the state due to the severity of wildfires.

Early Saturday evening, a wildfire in Potawatomie County led to Highway 63 being shut down. Part of Tuttle Creek Boulevard was also shut down briefly for a fire causing visibility issues. In South Central Kansas, some people in Reno and Harvey counties had to evacuate due to fires in the area.

Today marks the second day following Governor Kelly’s declaration of disaster emergency.

According to the Adjutant General of Kansas’s office, late Saturday night, the Kansas Division of Emergency Management requested a fire management assistance grant through the Federal Emergency Management Agency. That disaster assistance grant will help the state offset the cost as the high fire danger conditions continue across the state.

Much of KSNT’s viewing area was under a red flag warning Saturday. That means the conditions for the temperature, humidity, and wind allow fire to spread at a quicker pace than usual. With these conditions, something as small as a cigarette or match could potentially lead to a wildfire.

Making sure the fire is extinguished fully, is vital to keep yourself and your neighbors safe.

The National Weather Service recommends completely drowning out fires with plenty of water, making that space cold to the touch.