AUTHORITIES IN DOUGLAS COUNTY ARE INVESTIGATING SIX SUSPICIOUS GRASS FIRE INCIDENTS THAT HAVE OCCURRED OVER THE PAST TWO MONTHS. FIREFIGHTERS SAY OVER 25 FIRES STARTED ON SIX DAYS FROM SEPTEMBER 25TH TO OCTOBER 21ST, INCLUDING EIGHT FIRES THE AFTERNOON OF SEPTEMBER 29TH IN THE 1400 TO 2400 BLOCK OF NORTH 1100 ROAD. ALL THE INCIDENTS ARE IN THE SAME AREA, SOUTHEAST OF LAWRENCE AND SOUTH OF EUDORA. INVESTIGATORS SAY THE FIRES HAVE OTHER SIMILARITIES AND BELIEVE THEY MAY HAVE BEEN INTENTIONALLY SET. THEY ARE ESPECIALLY INTERESTED IN VEHICLES THAT MAY HAVE BEEN IN THE AREA OF ONE OF THE FIRES.
DOUGLAS COUNTY SHERIFF JAY ARMBRISTER SAYS THANKFULLY, NONE OF THE FIRES HAVE CAUSED ANY SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO PROPERTY OR RESULTED IN ANY INJURIES, BUT THEY ARE SUSPICIOUS IN NATURE AND THEIR PROXIMITY TO KANSAS HIGHWAY 10 IS A CAUSE FOR CONCERN. CONSOLIDATED FIRE DISTRICT NO. 1 HAS INCREASED STAFFING AND IS PERFORMING PATROLS OF THE AREA IN HOPES OF CATCHING WHOEVER IS RESPONSIBLE.
THE DOUGLAS COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE ASKS ANYONE WHO MAY HAVE NOTICED SOMETHING SUSPICIOUS IN THE AREA OF ONE OF THE FIRES TO CALL THE DOUGLAS COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE, CRIME STOPPERS OR 9-1-1. THE STATE FIRE MARSHAL AND KANSAS HIGHWAY PATROL ARE ALSO INVOLVED IN THE INVESTIGATIONS.
