Stormy Night Brings Fire North of Gem, KS — Firefighters and Farmers Respond Quickly

Monday night brought a wave of severe weather to Northwest Kansas, with storm warnings lighting up the radar—particularly for areas north of Highway 24. As storms continued to build and move through the region, NWKS Radio provided ongoing coverage on-air across all five stations and live updates on the *NWKS Radio* Facebook page.

At approximately 9:50 PM CST, reports began coming in of cloud-to-ground lightning strikes and a possible fire north of Gem, Kansas. By 10:00 PM, emergency personnel reached out to NWKS Radio to confirm a brush fire had ignited at the intersection of County Road 30 and County Road CC in northeast Thomas County.

First responders from the Gem and Colby fire departments were quickly dispatched to the scene. Joining them were several local farmers who brought out tractors equipped with discs to help contain the fire and prevent it from spreading. Thanks to the fast and coordinated response, the fire was largely under control and out by 10:20 PM.

While the exact cause of the fire has not yet been officially confirmed, the timing and location suggest it may have been sparked by a lightning strike from the evening storms.

NWKS Radio will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates as more information becomes available.

For ongoing storm coverage and breaking news, stay tuned to NWKS Radio on air and follow us on Facebook.