‘It really will just take one spark’: Nebraska wildfires nearly contained as crews brace for new threats
By Beth Carlson
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NEBRASKA (KETV) — Historic Nebraska wildfires are nearly contained, including the Morrill and Cottonwood fires, but emergency management crews say they are monitoring the potential for new wildfire outbreaks across the state.
Saturday brought record-high temperatures to Nebraska, an added challenge for firefighters. The Cottonwood Fire incident management team reported an additional 100 acres burned and three unoccupied firefighter vehicles destroyed Saturday as a result.
“The crew parked their vehicles in what we call ‘the black,’ so it was an area that had burned before. They hiked in to work some of these pockets of vegetation that were closer to the line, and while they were gone, the fire burned closer to their vehicles,” Morrill and Cottonwood Fire Public Information Officer David Boyd said.
Emergency management also sent crews to several parts of the state to assist with pop-up fires, including one near McCook. In an official statement, the Red Willow Western Rural Fire Department said the fire is now 96% contained, but burned an estimated 800 acres in the blaze.
Boyd said this could be a continued issue with temperatures expected to rise again in the upcoming week.
“The grasses and shrubs and trees are really dry, you have really strong wind, and it’s hot. So those three things combined mean fire can get really active and spread really quickly,” Boyd said. “As we’re going into this week, it’s still just unprecedented conditions for fire.”
In a news briefing Sunday, Nebraska Congressman Mike Flood said he’s working with leaders to continue bringing in support to parts of western and central Nebraska.
“Everything’s getting sent to these areas of Nebraska that were devastated by these brutal fires. We’re going to continue to watch this. We’re going to work as a federal delegation to make sure we get the FEMA resources that Nebraska needs going forward,” Flood said.
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