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Print this story A Saline County volunteer firefighter is accused of setting three fires in Saline County — one of which got close to Southeast of Saline School. Michael A. Russell, 18, Gypsum, a volunteer for Rural Fire District No. 1, was arrested Wednesday on three counts of arson. He was being held in the Saline County Jail and is expected to make his first appearance at 8:30 a.m. today in Saline County District Court. Russell is accused of setting a Wednesday fire that burned about 90 acres of Conservation Reserve Program grass owned by John Swisher in the 5000 block of East Assaria Road; a Wednesday fire that burned about 20 acres of CRP grass owned by Errol Redden in the 10900 block of South Niles Road; and an April 7 fire that burned about 20 acres of CRP grass owned by Bernie Johnson at Lapsley and Niles roads. Total damage was estimated at $3,900. Saline County Sheriff Glen Kochanowski said the fire on Assaria Road was headed straight toward Southeast of Saline School before the wind shifted. “If the wind had stayed the way it was, it could have affected the school,” Kochanowski said.
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Reporter Sharon Montague can be reached at 822-1411 or by e-mail at smontague@salina.com.