Health Advisory for Prescribed Fire Season Smoke Impacts

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Published February 26th, 2026

Detected March 17th, 2026

Summary

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) issued a health advisory for the upcoming prescribed fire season in the Flint Hills. The advisory reminds residents about potential air quality impacts from smoke and highlights the availability of a smoke modeling tool to help manage these effects.

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What changed

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) has issued a health advisory concerning the prescribed fire season, which typically occurs in March and April in the Flint Hills region. This advisory highlights the potential for smoke from prescribed burns to impact local air quality and public health, particularly for vulnerable populations. The KDHE will activate its Kansas smoke modeling tool on March 1st to help landowners and managers predict and mitigate smoke impacts.

While this is an advisory and not a new regulation, it serves as a reminder for landowners and managers to utilize smoke management techniques and the provided modeling tool. Residents are advised on steps to protect their health on days with smoke presence, such as limiting outdoor activity and keeping indoor air clean. The advisory emphasizes the importance of smoke management for preserving air quality and public health during the prescribed fire season.

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Health Advisory, Safety Tips for Prescribed Fire Season in Flint Hills

Press Releases Posted on February 26, 2026

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) reminds Kansans that March and April are when large areas of the state’s rangelands are burned, especially within the Flint Hills.

Prescribed fire is a tool used by landowners and managers to help preserve the tallgrass prairie ecosystem, control invasive species, reduce woody encroachment from species such as Eastern Red Cedar, and provide better forage for cattle. Prescribed burning also reduces the risk of wildfires and is effective in managing rangeland resources. Smoke from the burns can influence the air quality of downwind areas. The use of smoke management techniques is vital to reducing air quality and health impacts.

KDHE will activate the Kansas smoke modeling tool on March 1, prior to widespread burning in the Flint Hills. The computer models use fire data and current weather conditions to predict the potential contribution of smoke and air quality impacts to downwind areas. There are approximately 2.1 million acres burned on average in the Flint Hills of Kansas and Oklahoma each year.

“We are entering the 16th year that we have been able to provide this important tool for the prescribed fire community,” Douglas Watson, meteorologist and KDHE Bureau of Air, said. “We continue to encourage ranchers and land managers to utilize smoke modeling resources, such as the smoke modeling tool to mitigate potential air quality impacts.”

Prescribed burns release large amounts of particulate matter and other pollutants that can form ground-level ozone. Particulate matter and ozone can cause health problems, even in healthy individuals. Common health problems include: burning eyes, runny nose, coughing, and illnesses such as bronchitis. People with respiratory conditions, cardiovascular diseases, children and elderly are more vulnerable to experience symptoms.

Steps to protect your health on days when smoke is present in your community include:

Healthy people should limit or avoid strenuous outdoor exercise.
Vulnerable people need to remain indoors.
Keep indoor air clean by closing doors and windows and running air conditioners with air filters.
Stay hydrated by drinking lots of water.
Contact your doctor if you have symptoms such as chest pain, chest tightness, shortness of breath or severe fatigue. For more information about the prescribed burning in the Flint Hills, the Flint Hills Smoke Management Plan, April burn restrictions, and the smoke modeling tool, please visit The Kansas Flint Hills Smoke Management Website.