Calls for mutual aid to a grass fire near Highway 83 between Thedford and Valentine were made around 3 PM on Tuesday. Anselmo and Merna units were requested to the scene of the fire.
Dry conditions, breezes, and winds are present throughout the KCNI/KBBN listening area. A red flag warning is in effect for the area of the fire, including southern Cherry County, Southern Brown County, Thomas County, Blaine County, Logan County, McPherson County, and Hooker County.
In addition to Anselmo and Merna, KCNI/KBBN has been informed that many other departments have been called to the fire which has a strong potential to threaten or affect structures in the area.
Those across the area are asked to be aware of responders heading to the area of the fire and to move over for emergency vehicles whether they are on your side of the road or not for the highest level of safety.
UPDATE (5:40 PM Tuesday) Region 26 Emergency Management Director Alma Beland told KCNI/KBBN that the fire, which burned about 500 acres on its path to the east, is at least 80% controlled. Some trees and hot spots being monitored. She added that rising humidity levels as the sun went down helped the effort of responders.
The fire, now given the name ‘Spur’, sparked just across the county line inside Cherry County about 3 miles. An official cause of the fire is not known at the moment, but traffic on the highway is suspected as the blaze started very close to the road at around 2:30 PM.
Two airplanes from Arrow Aviation assisted in the response in addition to 13 fire departments (Thedford, Brownlee, Halsey, Purdum, Dunning, Anselmo, Mullen, Valentine, Johnstown, Raven, Calamus, Ainsworth, National Forest Service).
