Wildfire activity across Nebraska continues to evolve, as two new fires have sparked in Grant County while containment efforts remain strong on several of the state’s largest recent blazes.
The Morrill Fire is now 100 percent contained, while the Cottonwood Fire is holding at 98 percent containment. The Road 203 fire was officially declared 100 percent contained Wednesday afternoon as no additional heat or areas of concern were found by crews on the ground or in the air.
Attention has now shifted in part to two new fires that started overnight Wednesday in Grant County.
The Ashby Fire, near the community of Ashby, has grown to approximately 60,000 acres and spread south into areas already burned by the Morrill Fire. The Minor Fire, south of Hyannis, has reached around 15,000 acres and is moving toward Arthur County.
Initial attack resources were mobilized around 1 a.m. Thursday and remain actively engaged alongside local volunteer fire departments and the Nebraska State Fire Marshal’s Wildland Incident Response Team. At the request of Governor Jim Pillen, the Rocky Mountain Complex Incident Management Team 1 is assisting with both fires.
Aerial resources have also been deployed, including four Nebraska and Iowa National Guard Black Hawk helicopters working the Ashby Fire and three single-engine air tankers assigned to the Minor Fire.
With wildfire conditions continuing, Governor Jim Pillen has taken action to both help response and lessen the chance of additional fires through emergency proclamations and orders.
Emergencies have been declared in counties associated with the Morrill, Cottonwood, and Anderson Bridge fires. (Since the Road 203 Fire was managed by federal authorities it was not included in the proclamation for state resources).
The first executive order from Governor Pillen (26-08) continues the timeframe by which fire chiefs or their designated members are prohibited from issuing permits for open burning anywhere in the state. This order is effective March 28 and continues through April 10. The prior burn ban was initially slated to expire on March 27.
The second executive order (26-09) waives hours of service restrictions and adjusts maximum load width/weight limits allowed for commercial motor carriers operating within the state and are delivering feed and other supplies under the ongoing wildfire emergency. That new order is also effective March 28.
