Wildfires rage: Pillen, Nebraska officials give update on firefighting effort

LINCOLN — Nebraska is still dealing with the largest wildfire in the state’s history and a handful of other sizable fires burning at the same time.

At the Nebraska National Guard air base Monday, officials from various state agencies provided an update on how the state is responding to the fires in central and western Nebraska. Most of the fires are only partially contained. 

“There’s no question, Mother Nature’s throwing a doozy at us, but I’m betting the farm … we win, and we win big time,” Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen said.

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More than 700,000 acres have burned so far across the four major active fires around the state, according to disaster response officials. The Morrill Fire, which spans Keith, Arthur, Grant, Garden and Morrill Counties in western and west-central Nebraska, is by itself the largest wildfire in state history, covering 572,804 acres. The Morrill fire was 18% contained as of late Monday. 

One person has died in that fire, which has damaged and destroyed an unknown number of structures, according to state officials. Sherry Vinton, the director of the Nebraska Department of Agriculture, said that the fire also had affected grazing land and backup for roughly 35,000 cows.

The Cottonwood Fire, which spans Dawson and Lincoln Counties in west-central Nebraska, was also 40% contained, as of Tuesday and has burned 131,259 acres. 

The Anderson Bridge Fire in Cherry County has burned 17,400 acres and was 60% contained. The Road 203 Fire in Thomas and Blaine Counties has burned 35,814 acres and was 36% contained.

Together, the fires prompted the governor to declare a state of emergency and issue a statewide burn ban through the end of March 27 

Firefighters from across the state and from other neighboring states have come to help with the fires. The National Guard in Nebraska and Iowa have sent four helicopters to fight the fires with aerial water drops. 

Pillen said the federal government has offered to help respond to the fires, saying U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins is “offering whatever we need.” He also said he is asking Doug Burgum, the U.S. Secretary of the Interior, to provide planes to fight the fires and other equipment. 

“We have friends that believe in Nebraska that will be here to help us,” Pillen said.

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