Ottawa County Emergency Management

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Ottawa County Emergency Management Ottawa County, Kansas.

Ottawa County Emergency Management is committed to serving Ottawa County and the state of Kansas in disaster prevention, mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery.

We are entering our fall fire season when vegetation is drying out, relative humidity drops, and wind speeds increase. P...
10/10/2026

We are entering our fall fire season when vegetation is drying out, relative humidity drops, and wind speeds increase. Please exercise caution when working with heavy equipment, especially when using on or near dry vegetation!

Our emergency crews continue to be busy. This morning, crews from Minneapolis Fire Department, Minneapolis EMS, Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office, and Ottawa County Emergency Management responded to a large hay-stack fire. Firefighters were able to suppress the fire and contain burning hay to an area that poses very little risk of further fire spread.

As stated above, please exercise extreme caution over the next several weeks.

Just before 4:40 PM today, Minneapolis Fire Department & Ottawa County Emergency Management responded to a combine fire ...
10/09/2026

Just before 4:40 PM today, Minneapolis Fire Department & Ottawa County Emergency Management responded to a combine fire north of Minneapolis. Minneapolis units arrived to find the combine’s engine and driver’s cab fully involved with extension to one of the tires. Firefighters made quick work of this fire and prevented it from spreading to nearby dry vegetation. Great work by all!

It’s been a busy morning for many emergency crews here in Ottawa County. Just after 7:45 AM this morning, Minneapolis Fi...
10/06/2026

It’s been a busy morning for many emergency crews here in Ottawa County.

Just after 7:45 AM this morning, Minneapolis Fire Department, Minneapolis EMS, Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office, and Ottawa County Emergency Management responded to a hay bale fire on the back of a moving trailer.

Immediately after the first call came through, Bennington Fire Department & Bennington EMS were paged to respond to a residential structure fire in the southern part of the county. After the hay bale fire was dealt with, Minneapolis Fire Department, Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office, and Ottawa County Emergency Management redirected to assist Bennington units along with Saline County Rural Fire District #7.

Firefighters and Sheriff’s Deputies made entry to the residence and were able to save a dog. No other occupants were home. Emergency crews stayed on scene conducting overhaul for a couple of hours, making sure that the fire was completely extinguished.

Fire crews were flexible in working on multiple incidents and our dispatchers did a fantastic job working multiple high-priority incidents at the same time. Great work by all!

Today (10/01/2026), Ottawa County Emergency Management deployed to help our neighbors in Mitchell County in starting the...
10/02/2026

Today (10/01/2026), Ottawa County Emergency Management deployed to help our neighbors in Mitchell County in starting the process of surveying road damage as a result of the torrential rainfall and flooding that occurred. After a significant weather event, it takes lots of time to survey each road for damage, but we are always happy to be an extra body in the field to help our neighbors!

(Canceled at 9:14 PM)4:00 PM — Tornado Watch for Ottawa County until 11:00 PM.
09/30/2026

(Canceled at 9:14 PM)

4:00 PM — Tornado Watch for Ottawa County until 11:00 PM.

09/30/2026

HEADS-UP: any potential tornado today will be almost impossible to see on radar, so viewers and storm spotters will be ESSENTIAL for getting warnings out in a timely fashion

The lower cloud bases due to the tropical air mass will keep any rotation closer to the ground compared to normal, so the radar beams, which go up in elevation the farther you get away from the radar site won't be able to see the rotation

Some warnings may go out *after* a tornado has formed which will dramatically reduce the time you have to prepare

With all of that said, these will be relatively weak and short lived tornadoes. The best chance will be along and north of a Great Bend to Wichita line between 12 pm and 6 pm

(Expired at 7:00 PM)UPDATE 6:55 PM — The storm has moved out of the warned area and is no longer impacting Ottawa County...
09/19/2026

(Expired at 7:00 PM)

UPDATE 6:55 PM — The storm has moved out of the warned area and is no longer impacting Ottawa County.

Severe Thunderstorm Warning for extreme NE Ottawa County until 7:00 PM. 60 mph wind gusts & half-dollar-sized-hail possible.

(Canceled as of 6:43 PM)UPDATE 6:43 PM — This storm has moved out of the warned area.Severe Thunderstorm Warning for ext...
09/19/2026

(Canceled as of 6:43 PM)

UPDATE 6:43 PM — This storm has moved out of the warned area.

Severe Thunderstorm Warning for extreme northern Ottawa County until 6:45 PM. 60 mph wind gusts and quarter-sized hail possible.

(Canceled)Severe Thunderstorm Warning for extreme SE Ottawa County until 6:00 PM. Ping-pong-ball-sized hail & 60mph wind...
09/19/2026

(Canceled)

Severe Thunderstorm Warning for extreme SE Ottawa County until 6:00 PM. Ping-pong-ball-sized hail & 60mph wind gusts possible.

Address

307 N. Concord Suite B01
Minneapolis, KS
67467

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