BROKEN BOW, NE – The fire that began near the intersection of Gates County Road and Round Valley Road north of Broken Bow on Thursday afternoon (December 19) has been determined to be an accident by State Fire Marshal Investigators.
During a press conference held Friday afternoon, Custer County Emergency Manager Mark Rempe said that since its spark around 3:38 PM Thursday afternoon, more than 30 volunteer departments helped battle the blaze which grew to an estimated 2,800 acres.
As of early Friday afternoon, the fire is reported to be 35% contained and forward progress of the fire has been stopped. Fire crews, numbering approximately 20 according to Broken Bow Fire Chief Dustin Watson, continue to execute firefighting, burnout operations, and monitoring as of Friday afternoon.
Watson added that three uninhabited structures were lost as a result of the fire and that he hasn’t received any reports of injuries or fatalities outside of the UTV accident fatality reported by the Custer County Sheriff’s Office earlier Friday.
When asked about the difference between “control” and “contained” percentages, Rempe explained, “Controlling the fire is something that is a pretty broad term. When the fire is growing, it’s rapidly expanding and we are trying our best to contain that or to get the fire under control and stop its progress. The containment of the fire is where the fire is under control but the percentage of the line around the fire, or the perimeter of the fire is what they’re calling the percentage.”
Although Round Valley Road and Highway 70 are not closed, Watson asked the public to continue to avoid the areas if possible. He also confirmed that the blaze did not reach Highway 2.
Rempe, Watson, and Chief Deputy Adam Miller thanked the public for the donations that had come into the fire station already and the general support they have received from the public.
View the press conference in its entirety below:
