The sky in the Junction City area was filled with smoke Monday evening due to all of the grassland burning during the day.

Garry Berges, Geary County Rural Fire Chief, estimated approximately 12,000 to 15,000 acres of grassland were burned on Monday as part of controlled burns.

He reported that the Rural Fire Department was called out on three fire calls. One was in Riley County along K-177 Highway just north of Interstate 70 about 2:45 a.m.  “Right around lunch time we got called to the area of Kickapoo School Road and 77 – K-157 intersection about three miles outside of Rock Springs ( 4-H Center ) for an out-of-control grass fire.” In that case Woodbine Fire and White City Fire provided assistance. That blaze burned approximately 80 acres.

About 3:30 p.m. Geary County assisted Riley County on a large fire north of the interstate about a mile-and-a-half off the McDowell Creek exit.

There were no injuries or structural property damage from the fire. Berges expects the smoky haze to get a little bit worse but with 35 mph winds in the forecast on Tuesday he expects the smoke to blow out of the area early Tuesday morning.