Kansas Democratic Reps. Jim Ward, the House Minority Leader, and Patsy Terrell issued press releases demanding Gov. Sam Brownback declare a state of emergency in response to wildfires out west. The Dems issued their releases on March 8. Brownback declared a state of emergency on March 5.
Mary Clarkin of the Hutchinson News deserves kudos for writing the report about the ill-timed press releases. She wrote:
“Kansas House Minority Leader Jim Ward, D-Wichita, and Rep. Patsy Terrell, D-Hutchinson, issued similar statements Wednesday afternoon calling on Republican Gov. Sam Brownback to declare a state of emergency because of the fires. Brownback’s office responded by saying he declared an emergency three days ago.”
In Reno County, which includes Hutchinson, more than 10,000 people were displaced as the state’s largest wildfires raged earlier this week. Officials say the fires killed at least 6 people, burned more than 650,000 acres in the southwest corner of Kansas, and destroyed more than 3,500 cattle and calves.
The fires are 70-90 percent contained the 21 affected Kansas counties.