CUSTER COUNTY, NEB. – December can officially be added to the count of months in recent memory that have been exceptionally dry in the state of Nebraska. With a forecast that shows possibilities of precipitation, residents are hoping it delivers to give hope of fires stopping.
The Nebraska Wildfire Risk Explorer from the Nebraska Forest Service is painted with colors across the state ranging from green (indicating a low risk) to bright red (indicating a very high risk). The most prominent colors seen in central Nebraska and to the north and west are “moderate” risk yellow, “high” risk orange, and “very high” risk red.
Several fire departments across the area have indicated that they have put a pause on issuing burn permits due to the high risk of fires, while also issuing reminders to the public about just how easy a fire can spark. Each of them have had their share of battling blazes this month, with all departments from the area coming together to battle the fire that burned over 2,800 acres near Broken Bow and resulted in one fatality.
With the approaching New Year holiday, several agencies are continually reminding citizens to abstain from lighting off fireworks due to the obvious high risk of fires. In similar news, the Sherman County Sheriff’s Office stated that they responded to a grass fire on Sunday on Highway 58 that they are categorizing as “suspicious” due to being started by fireworks lit from a vehicle.
The fire in Sherman County is among five or six that have been similarly suspicious in the last year for the county. The Sheriff stated that evidence was collected, the scene will be analyzed, and that anyone with information that might help identify responsible parties is encouraged to contact the Sheriff’s office.
A trace of rain found its way into some gauges in the central part of the state on Monday morning, but the unofficial measurement term “miniscule” has been used widely in December. The KCNI/KBBN studios in Broken Bow have received just .01″ of measurable precipitation as of Monday (December 30).
Many across the state will have their fingers crossed as they look to the sky with precipitation chances higher than they have been in some time Monday and into Monday night. Whether from snow or rain, a soaking of the ground would be a welcomed sight for area first responders.
