Several Lawrence residents reported seeing smoke in southwest Lawrence Thursday morning, and fire officials said it was due to a controlled burn at Eagle Bend Golf Course, 1250 E. 902 Road.

Palmyra Township Fire Department firefighters douse hay bales Thursday, Feb. 2, 2012, at 2164 N. 400 Rd. The fire started after a renter at the property started to burn brush.

Grass fires were reported throughout Douglas County Thursday. Some were controlled burns, getting grass ready for the spring rains. Lawrence parks department employee Lenny Irey sprays some water on a fire just south of Eagle Bend Golf Course.

Firefighters from the Fairmount Township Fire Department in Basehor spray down pine trees still smoldering after a grass fire had been stopped Thursday at Wilderson Tree Farm. Crews continued to spray the area for about 30 minutes after stopping the spread of the fire at about 2:30 p.m.

Leavenworth County Fire District No. 1 firefighters extinguish the last of the flames remaining from a grass fire at Wilderson Tree Farm in Basehor on Thursday. Four different fire departments responded, and it took them about 45 minutes to get the blaze under control.

Division Chief James King, fire marshal for Lawrence Douglas County Fire Medical, said at 11:40 a.m. the fire department had issued a permit for the burn.

“We might see something like that from time to time around the city,” King said.

Megan Gilliland, a city spokeswoman, said there likely would be a day next week when crews finish the burn.

Lawrence Douglas County Fire Medical Division Chief Joe Hoelscher said Palmyra Township fire crews Thursday morning were also sent to a grass fire in the southeastern part of the county in the 2100 block of North 400 Road. Township crews there were monitoring whether any buildings in the area could be in danger, he said.