2 dead in Kansas wildfires fueled by windy, dry weather

Two men have died from injuries suffered in wildfires that have burned hundreds of thousands of acres across Kansas this week, authorities said Friday.

Richard Shimanek, 84, a farmer and rancher who lived near Leoti, died Thursday night at a hospital in Denver, Leoti Mayor and Fire Chief Charlie Hughes said. He was outside his home trying to fight the fire Wednesday when he fell and couldn't get up, Hughes said.

The Ellis County sheriff's office said Friday that the remains of Derrick Kelley, 36, were found near his burned vehicle in a rural area of the county. The coroner identified the remains, the sheriff's office said.

Kelley was last seen in Hays on Wednesday, shortly before his fiancee reported him missing. The sheriff's office said he was believed to be driving on county roads toward Natoma.

Both men were killed in wildfires that erupted Wednesday in western and central Kansas, fueled by dry conditions and winds up to 90 mph (145 kph). The Kansas Forest Service said 625 square miles (1,620 square kilometers) burned in 11 counties in western Kansas, with smaller fires in other counties.

In the small town of Paradise in Russell County, one family was counting its blessings but also mourning the loss of their home and cows.

Brett Thompson, the 58-year-old mayor of Paradise, suffered eye injuries when he tried to rescue his cattle herd, said his daughter, Caity Thompson. While he was out, his home burned down — the only house in the town of about 50 to be destroyed by the fire.

His wife escaped before their home was destroyed, and the family's grain elevator business was also spared, said Caity Thompson, a teacher in Jetmore who returned home when she heard about the fire.

“It's a mixture of emotions,” she said. “We're devastated that the house is gone, along with...