Read the full article on KETV 7
LEADER KETV NEWSWATCH SEVEN AT FIVE. THEY ARE TOUGHER THAN THE HELL THEY’RE FIGHTING. THOSE ARE THE WORDS FROM GOVERNOR JIM PILLEN. AS FIREFIGHTERS CONTINUE TO BATTLE MULTIPLE WILDFIRES, AND THAT INCLUDES THE DEPLOYMENT OF THE NEBRASKA NATIONAL GUARD TO ASSIST LOCAL FIRE CREWS. THE FOREST SERVICE IS NOW REPORTING THE LARGEST WILDFIRE. THE MORRILL FIRE IS 18% CONTAINED. COTTONWOOD FIRE ANOTHER BIG BLAZE IS 40% CONTAINED. CREWS ARE ALSO FIGHTING CHANGING WINDS AND WEATHER CONDITIONS AND KETV NEWSWATCH SEVEN’S BETH CARLSON SHOWS US HOW NEBRASKA TROOPS ARE GETTING MUCH NEEDED SUPPORT FROM THE SKY. USING EQUIPMENT LIKE THIS, NEBRASKA ARMY NATIONAL GUARDSMEN ARE TAKING FLIGHT TO HELP FIGHT WILDFIRES IN CENTRAL NEBRASKA. IT’S A COORDINATED EFFORT. IT’S WHAT WE TRAIN FOR, TO FIGHT ONGOING WILDFIRES BLANKETING PARTS OF WESTERN AND CENTRAL NEBRASKA. MORE. THE FIRE GROWS, YOU KNOW, UNCONTAINED. THE MORE DAMAGE TO THE RESOURCES OF. IN THIS CASE, THE RANCHERS AND AND POTENTIAL DAMAGE TO INFRASTRUCTURE. LIEUTENANT COLONEL DUSTIN WILKIE SAYS THE NEBRASKA ARMY NATIONAL GUARD TRAINS FOR MOMENTS LIKE THIS. WE’RE IN CONSTANT COMMUNICATION WITH GROUND ELEMENTS, AND THEY’RE TELLING US WHERE THEY WANT THE WATER DROPPED. BUT THE SPEED OF THAT 760 GALLONS OF WATER, THE SPEED OF WHICH WE CAN DELIVER IT. GOVERNOR PALIN ISSUED AN EMERGENCY ORDER DEPLOYING THE 47 NEBRASKA NATIONAL GUARD SOLDIERS AND AIRMEN TO ASSIST LOCAL FIRE CREWS ON THE GROUND. BUT EVER CHANGING WEATHER POSES AN ONGOING THREAT. THE HIGH CHANCE THAT THIS CONTINUES OR OTHER OUTBREAKS WITH FIRE OCCUR, AND WE JUST NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE ASSETS IN PLACE TO BE READY, WILKIE SAYS. IT’S ALL A PART OF THE MISSION TO SERVE NEBRASKANS. YOU NEED THAT WHOLE COMMUNITY OF SUPPORT FOR OUR FOLKS TO MAKE THIS WORK. AND AS NEBRASKANS, WE’VE BEEN BLESSED WITH WITH GOOD SUPPORT NETWORKS TO DO THAT. EMERGENCY PERSONNEL HAVE JOINED LOCAL CREWS, INCLUDING TWO MORE BLACKHAWK HELICOPTERS WITH THE
Advertisement
‘It’s what we train for’; Nebraska National Guard supporting firefighting efforts in wildfires
Nebraska Army National Guard troops have been deployed to assist local fire crews in battling wildfires across western and central Nebraska, as changing weather conditions continue to pose challenges. The Nebraska Forest Service reports that the Morrill Fire, the largest wildfire, is now 18% contained, while the Cottonwood Fire is 40% contained. Gov. Jim Pillen signed an emergency declaration Friday, deploying 47 guard soldiers and airmen from the Nebraska National Guard to support.”The more the fire grows, you know, uncontained, the more damage to the resources of, in this case, the ranchers and potential damage to infrastructure,” said Lt. Col. Dustin Wilkie, of the Nebraska Army National Guard. “So, it’s good to get as much as you can out there, but also temper it with what’s required versus looking at the long-term impacts with weather forecasts coming up.”Wilkie explained the National Guard supplied two Blackhawk helicopters, with Bambi bucket attachments to supply large quantities of water. The Iowa National Guard pitched in with two more Blackhawk helicopters in support.”We’re in constant communication with ground elements, and they’re telling us where they want the water dropped, but the speed of that 760 gallons of water, the speed of which we can deliver it,” Wilkie said. However, the ever-changing weather poses an ongoing threat, including high winds and chances for increased temperatures with little chance of rain.”It’s a high chance that this continues or other outbreaks with fire occur. And we just need to make sure that we have the assets in place to be ready,” Wilkie said.Wilkie emphasized the importance of community support in their mission to serve Nebraskans. “You need that whole community of support for our folks to make this work, and as Nebraskans, we’ve been blessed with great support networks to do that,” he said.
Nebraska Army National Guard troops have been deployed to assist local fire crews in battling wildfires across western and central Nebraska, as changing weather conditions continue to pose challenges.
The Nebraska Forest Service reports that the Morrill Fire, the largest wildfire, is now 18% contained, while the Cottonwood Fire is 40% contained. Gov. Jim Pillen signed an emergency declaration Friday, deploying 47 guard soldiers and airmen from the Nebraska National Guard to support.
Advertisement
“The more the fire grows, you know, uncontained, the more damage to the resources of, in this case, the ranchers and potential damage to infrastructure,” said Lt. Col. Dustin Wilkie, of the Nebraska Army National Guard. “So, it’s good to get as much as you can out there, but also temper it with what’s required versus looking at the long-term impacts with weather forecasts coming up.”
Wilkie explained the National Guard supplied two Blackhawk helicopters, with Bambi bucket attachments to supply large quantities of water. The Iowa National Guard pitched in with two more Blackhawk helicopters in support.
“We’re in constant communication with ground elements, and they’re telling us where they want the water dropped, but the speed of that 760 gallons of water, the speed of which we can deliver it,” Wilkie said.
However, the ever-changing weather poses an ongoing threat, including high winds and chances for increased temperatures with little chance of rain.
“It’s a high chance that this continues or other outbreaks with fire occur. And we just need to make sure that we have the assets in place to be ready,” Wilkie said.
Wilkie emphasized the importance of community support in their mission to serve Nebraskans.
“You need that whole community of support for our folks to make this work, and as Nebraskans, we’ve been blessed with great support networks to do that,” he said.
