Dry Autumn Is Fueling Fire And Destruction On Prairie Lands

Wildfires burning on prairie land in five states have destroyed more than a dozen homes and killed livestock in the past few days as a region normally accustomed to crisp temperatures and even snow this time of year gets a taste of California-style drought .Fires with volcano-like smoke plumes visible for miles around have broken out from the Rockies almost to the Mississippi River. Ample rain during the spring and summer made matters worse by encouraging prairie grass to grow into deep, thick wildfire fuel.