Coffeyville Fire Department crews continue battling wildfires in Southwest Kansas.

CFD says they are focusing much of the day on what’s known as mop-up operations, which includes cooling debris, cutting down burning logs and checking for hotspots along the fire line to prevent flare-ups. Winds out of the south shifted suddenly from the north late in the afternoon yesterday, creating dangerous conditions and threatening the town of Ashland. Multiple task forces were sent to the area to assist.

Crews worked into the early morning hours, wrapping up around 1:30am before heading to Dodge City for rest. They’re expected to debrief before beginning their return to Coffeyville, as new teams have now taken over operations. Officials say thoughts remain with the families affected and with the safety of all responders still working and traveling home.