2 Dead in Kansas Wildfires Fueled by Windy, Dry Weather

2 Dead in Kansas Wildfires Fueled by Windy, Dry Weather
The setting sun is shrouded in smoke from a fire that burned and stretched across Ellis, Russell, Osborne, and Rooks counties, near Natoma, Kan., on Dec. 16, 2021. Charlie Riedel/AP Photo
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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.