Follow-Up: Fire North of Gem Contained Thanks to Fast Response from Fire Crews and Local Farmers

Photos courtesy of Mandy Focke

What started as a tense moment during Monday night’s storms has now become a strong example of rural teamwork and quick emergency response.

NWKS Radio first reported on the brush fire north of Gem, Kansas, on the evening of June 16 after multiple lightning strikes were seen in the area and reports of a fire came in around 9:50 PM. The fire, located at the intersection of County Road 30 and County Road CC in northeast Thomas County, was quickly responded to by multiple fire departments and local farmers.

Today, we spoke with Rexford Fire Chief J.W. Knowles, who confirmed the fire was located in Rexford’s fire district and lasted roughly 45 minutes to an hour in a corn and wheat stubble field. The Rexford, Colby, and Gem Fire Departments all responded to the call.

Chief Knowles shared that two Rexford trucks and six volunteers were on scene, along with a department member who brought his company’s semi water tanker.“I’m thankful no one was injured and the fire was contained to a single field,” said Knowles. “I’d like to thank the Colby and Gem departments, and especially Chad Focke, who assisted with his tractor and plow.”

Knowles also emphasized the importance of rural fire prevention:

“The best thing farmers and country residents can do is keep a buffer zone around their homes and buildings. And during dry conditions like we’re seeing now, it really helps when farmers keep their water tanks full and are ready to assist.”

We also spoke with Mandy Focke, wife of Chad Focke, who gave us a firsthand account of how quickly the situation escalated near their home.

“We didn’t see the strike itself, but the lightning around us was absolutely crazy,” she said. “We were finishing up supper when neighbors called to say there was a fire just west of us. Chad went to check, came back quickly, and told me to load up the girls just in case the wind changed.”

The fire was burning in a field only about a quarter mile northwest of their home, on land owned by the FDK Partnership, which surrounds their property on three sides.

In addition to Chad’s efforts, Steve Bremenkamp also responded with his tractor to help create fire lines and stop the flames from spreading.

While the fire was believed to be caused by a lightning strike, official confirmation is still pending. What is confirmed, however, is that a fast response from multiple departments — and the neighbors who showed up with plows and water — helped turn what could have been a much worse situation into a success story.

NWKS Radio will continue to keep an eye on the weather and share community alerts as needed. For real-time updates during storms and emergencies, be sure to follow NWKS Radio on Facebook and tune in to your local station.

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