(Above are pictures from the Texas County fire.)

Rural fire departments in much of dry, windy

Kansas are being taxed by grass fires that scorch anywhere from a

few acres to dozens of square miles.

Some of the fires are planned burns that get out of control.

Passing trains are suspected in a few. But the causes of many

remain unknown.

A Stanton County fire consumed nearly 60 square miles of

sparsely populated grassland before it was brought under control

early Wednesday. No injuries in the southwestern Kansas county were

reported, but some farm structures were destroyed.