Crews battle large grass fire

WESTON, Mo. -- Fire crews have been fighting a large, wind-whipped grass fire in rural northwest Missouri near the Missouri River.

The Southern Platte Fire Department and the Kansas City Fire Department units were called to the grass fire early Thursday in Platte County. No injuries have been reported.

Fire chief Richard Carrizzo said about 1,300 acres had burned so far, and two outbuildings had been destroyed.

The National Weather Service issued a wind advisory for sections of northwest Missouri through late Thursday. Carrizzo said firefighting efforts had been hampered by steady 25 mph winds and gusts that hit up to 40 miles per hour.

He said the cause of the fire was the spark of a lawn mower that was reported about 10 a.m. Thursday.