By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
While many residents were busy celebrating Independence Day Monday, the Great Bend Fire Department was extra busy putting out fires. After responding to just nine fire and EMS calls on July 4, 2021, the department responded to 38 total calls this Fourth of July.
Brent Smith, deputy chief with the Great Bend Fire Department, blamed dry weather, high winds, and low humidity for the increased call load. The department responded to two structure fires Monday, including a significant fire in the 1900 block of Van Buren in Great Bend.
"One of them was just minor roof damage, some wood shingles," Smith said. "We got it stopped before it got to the main body of the house. The other one, the house will probably be a total loss."
Given time and staff, the local fire department uses one of its two investigators to determine the cause of a fire. Smith said the Van Buren fire was likely caused by fireworks that landed in a gutter with dry leaves.
"The Van Buren house was significant enough, and we were busy enough, we had assistance from the state fire marshal's office," he said. "They sent an investigator to help us with that one."
Within the city limits Monday, Great Bend Fire and EMS responded to 17 calls for grass, trash, or brush fires, with at least 15 of those calls being fireworks related. EMS responded to seven calls. The department also responded to 13 grass or stubble fires in the county, with at least 10 of those attributed to fireworks.