By The Hays Daily News

A series of burning workshops are on tap for upcoming weeks.

The sessions were prompted after farmers encountered difficulties earlier this year when they went to burn grass enrolled in the federal Conservation Reserve Program.

In several cases, fires got out of control, prompting farmers and county commissioners to reject the notion of burning the grass, required in some cases.

The sessions are being put together by Carol Blocksome, an Extension staff member at Kansas State University.

The burning workshops will be at 14 locations in the western third of Kansas. Content of each session is similar.

Agenda topics include CRP maintenance and management practices; burn considerations: why and when to burn; burn notification and local regulations; burn terminology and fire behavior: smoke management, fire guards, burning techniques; planning and conducting a burn; and burn equipment.

There is a $10 registration charge, which covers the cost of handouts and a notebook. Lunch will be served. Registration deadline is a week prior to the workshop date, although in some cases that deadline has passed. In that case, anyone wanting to attend is urged to call as soon as possible.

Workshop dates, locations and contact numbers for northwest Kansas workshops are:

* Monday -- Bazine (785) 798-3614 or (785) 798-3921

* Tuesday -- Colby (785) 462-7671 or (785) 460-4582

* Oct. 31 -- Russell (785) 483-5618 or (785) 483-3157

* Nov. 3 -- Hill City (785) 421-2115 or (785) 421-3411

* Nov. 4 -- Scott City (620) 872-3230 or (620) 872-2930

* Nov. 5 -- Sharon Springs 785-852-4213 or 785-852-4285

* Nov. 6 -- Bird City (785) 332-2183 or (785) 332-3171

* Nov. 12 -- Stockton (785) 425-6302 or (785) 425-6851

* Nov. 17 -- Norton (785) 877-5156 or (785) 877-5755

* Nov. 20 -- Oakley (785) 672-4861 or (785) 671-3245