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Grass fire east of Lamar; crews fully contain fire overnight Thursday

Posted at 5:14 PM, Mar 22, 2023
and last updated 2023-03-23 19:04:37-04

Update: The Prowers County Administration Office said Thursday afternoon that Centurylink customers in the Eastern part of Prowers County will not be able to reach 911 by landline.

This comes as crews are working to repair cut fiber optic lines that were damaged at Highway 196 and County Road 19. Residents can still access 911 by cell phone or text.

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A grass fire that was burning east of Lamar is now fully contained.

The Wednesday afternoon in Powers County.

Prowers County Sheriff's Office said the fire started Wednesday afternoon and was contained with the help of several agencies to the Arkansas River bottom. The fire broke on along US Hwy 50 east of the town of Lamar at mile marker 443.

The crews were able to contain the fire by cutting a path around it trapping it in the river bottom.

The fire grew quickly due to the high winds and dry conditions. Wind speeds in the area at the time were 32 mph with gusts up to 47 mph.

Power was out in some parts of the county due to the loss of power poles in the fire. Crews are working to restore the lines as soon as they safely can.

The multi-agency team confirmed Thursday that three outbuildings were lost in the fire. There have been no reports of animal losses and no injuries were reported.

Crews estimate the fire burned about 5604 acres.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.
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